Francis Anthony Stelly

Arnaudville - Funeral services for Retired SENIOR CHIEF PETTY OFFICER Francis Anthony Stelly will be held at 11 a.m., on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, at St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church in Arnaudville. Francis passed away on Sunday, November 22, 2009 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, he was 79. Entombment will follow at St. John Francis Regis Mausoleum in Arnaudville. Father Gary Schexnayder, Pastor of St. Michael Catholic Church in Crowley, will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Francis joined the United States Navy in 1947 at the age of 17. His military career lasted 23 years. As a civilian, he worked for 25 years with Farmers-Merchants Bank and Trust in both Breaux Bridge and Arnaudville. Francis's constant smile caused him to never know a stranger. He was a parishioner of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Lafayette, and a member of the American Legion, Fleet Reserve Association, and the Federal Reserve Association. Francis is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Jane Alice Tauzin Stelly; one son, Alan B. Stelly and wife, Jackie, of Lafayette; two daughters, Tonya Mallet and husband, Robert (Timmy) Mallet, Jr., of Arnaudville, and Angela Meche and her husband, Duane Meche, of Lafayette; four grandsons, Jerrod (J.W.) Meche, his companion, Amber and her son, Ethan; Brent Meche, Dustin Meche, all of Lafayette, Tyler Mallet, of Baton Rouge; two granddaughters, Toni Breaux and husband, Reggie, of Arnaudville, and Trina Mallet, of Austin, TX; two step grandsons, Cody and Seth Fontenot, of Lafayette; and two great grandchildren, Raegan Alise and Alex Roland Breaux. He was preceded in death by his only sister, June Stelly Hebert, and his parents, Aristille Stelly and Clemence Lanclos Stelly. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Tuesday and continue at 7 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday. A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening. Pallbearers will be Jerrod Meche, Brent Meche, Dustin Meche, Timmy Mallet, Tyler Mallet, and Reggie Breaux. Honorary pallbearers will be Alan Stelly and Duane Meche. The family would like to extend a very special thanks to Dialysis Center on Surrey, and Dr. Kenneth Entes and his loving staff for their care and dedication throughout Francis's illness. Pellerin Funeral Home of Arnaudville is in charge of arrangements.