V.J. Crochet

Loreauville - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 PM Monday, January 18, 2010 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Loreauville for Venus Joseph Charley Crochet. Entombment will follow in the St. Joseph Mausoleum. Rev. Bill Melancon will be the Celebrant. On Thursday, January 14, 2010, in Lafayette, at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center during a relaxing and enjoyable outpatient visit, Mr. Crochet passed away very unexpectedly, suddenly, and peacefully at 3:00 P.M. A native of Iberia Parish, Mr. Crochet resided for over 50 years on the exact same property where he was born. He had also resided in New Iberia, Lafayette, and New Orleans as a welder along with his brothers during WW II. While still a teen, Mr. Crochet proudly served our country in the U.S. Army until he was severly wounded and displaced from the 81st Chemical Motar Battalion. While he was convalescing, his comrades continued on all the way to Nazi concentration camps. He was an example of living history, having made the D-Day Invasion of Normandy (Omaha Beach) at D+30 minutes. Awarded medals and honors include La. Veterans Honor Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Silver Star (to be awarded posthumously). He valued freedom, cared passionately about our country, and followed political issues and concerns closely. A devout Catholic, Mr. Crochet was a humble, considerate, kind, caring, wise, generous, soft-spoken, well-liked gentleman, exemplary of Christian morals and values. Dependable, selfless, thoughtful, supportive, devoted, friendly, gentle, Charley had a keen sense of humor with the funniest quips for every occasion. He was the perfect, loving, helpful husband, best father anyone could hope to have, and a true family man who was extremely close to and best friend of his wife and daughter. Not only did he love and treasure his immediate family but also his extended family of many relatives and friends. Blessed with a very large extended family, Charley had at least 32 or so first cousins on his mother's side alone, and his father came from a family of 16 siblings and step siblings. Growing up with small town values in a rural leisurely-paced community where everyone knew and cared about each other, Mr. Crochet lead a charmed and very happy, healthy, active life. Until recently he enjoyed making a beautiful vegetable garden and fruit orchard, plus he kept up a 30 acre farm/ranch residence. At one time an excellent shot in his younger years, he was a duck hunter. He was gifted in the use of numbers, math, science, and especially accounting. Charley was an avid sports fan, his favorite teams being the New York Yankees, Boston Celtics, New Orleans Saints, LSU and ULL. From the time his daughter was born, they loved and watched sports with his father-in-law. Recently, he was given a Secretariat: Triple Crown Winner cap by the actor who plays Secretariat's jockey in the upcoming movie. Mr. Crochet attended school in Loreauville and New Iberia, graduating from NISH and SLI/USL with a BS in accounting. He was a notary public, who worked for 45 plus years in the oilfield industry as an office manager, accountant, etc of several oilfield service companies, including Wireline Consultants, Arrow Electric Line, Viking Directional Drilling, Downhole Production, and Latco. In favor of a peaceful lifestyle and to stay close to family, he declined career promotions in other parts of the country. Survivors include his wife, Grace Viator Crochet; daughter, Cindy Cee Cee, several beloved pets, and numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends. Mary Frances Higgins Hamsa is considered a family member. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alcide and Edmonia Dugas Crochet; grandparents, Antoine Ernest and Amanda Neomie Hebert Dugas and Romain and Zelamie Crochet; brothers, Dennis, Ernest, J.B. John, Joe, and Louis Crochet; sisters, Martha C. Mrs. Louis Price Derise, and Anna Mae Mrs. Paul O. Domingue; in-laws, Whitney J. and Edmai Dugas Viator, who loved him as their son; 2 very special friends, Duro Julius Duplechin, Jr. and John A. Rogers-Cassie; 4 nephews and best friends, the Gondran family of hunting buddies. Pallbearers will be Paul Viator, Blaine Tauzin, Pat Domingue, Nolan Crochet, Ernest Sonny Crochet, Mark Gondran, Kevin Crochet, and Sam Breaux. Honorary pallbearers include Joe W. Johnson, Creed Barras, Bernard Venable, Tommy Viator, Mae Viator, Pat Viator, Alfred Viator, Dr's James Trahan, Jay Jaikishan, David Baker, Brytton Baker-Eldredge, Ed Breaux, Patrick Welch, Michael Daigle, Kevin Courville, Tom Curry, Heart Hospital employees, and special friends Shelly Broussard, Sherry B. Everett, Celestine Adams, etc. Thank you all for excellent care, patience, and deep and abiding friendship. Mr. Crochet will be sorely missed but his memory will be forever cherished by family and friends. A rosary will be recited by his niece and godchild, Diana D. Delcambre and husband Rudy at 3:00 PM Sunday, January 17, 2009, at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia. A gathering of family and friends will be Sunday from 12 Noon until 5:00 PM at Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd, in New Iberia. Visitation will continue Monday from 10:30 AM until 1:15 PM. Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560, 337.365.3331, is in charge of arrangements.