William A. Barras. Jr

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A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 pm on Friday, September 8, 2006 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church for William Andre Barras, Jr., 85, who died Tuesday, September 5, 2006, after a gallant bout against cancer. Principal celebrant of the mass will be Father Chester Arceneaux. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Beau Barras, Kerry Barras, Randal Barras, Brady Barras, Jairo Eakin and Lt. Col. William Paul Barras. Mr. Barras is survived by two sons: Bernard Ray Barras and his wife, Jane and William A. Barras, III and his wife, Sherry of Abbeville, and by his six grandchildren: Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army, William Paul Barras and his wife Theresa of Ft. Bragg, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Kristin Eakin and her husband Jairo of Broussard, Timothy Beau Barras and his wife Leah of Lafayette, Kerry Barras and his wife Valerie of Ft. Worth, Texas, Randal Barras of Lafayette, and Brady Barras and his wife Pam of Abbeville. He is also survived by five great grandchildren: Cody Garrett Barras and Frederick Andre Barras of Fayetteville, N.C., Jacob Cargill and Whitlee Cargill of Ft. Worth, Texas, and Rylen Langlinais of Abbeville. His survivors also include one sister, Ruth Meyers of Abbeville, two god-children, Carolyn Crowe of Houston, Texas, and Johnny Sonnier and his wife Cecilia of Lafayette, two nieces, Leatrice Gorman and her husband George of Hampton, Arkansas, JoAnn Stout of Calumette, Oklahoma, and one sister-in-law, Amy Spell of Camden, Arkansas. His memory will also be cherished by his very special friend Mrs. Elsie Pontiff. Mr. Barras was preceded in death by his loving wife of 62 years, Lorena Primeaux Barras; his parents William A. Barras, Sr. and Hattie Blanchet Barras of Abbeville; one sister-in-law Aline Sonnier of Lafayette; three brothers-in-law, Prentice Meyers of Abbeville, Lloyd Sonnier of Lafayette, and Earl Spell of Hampton, Arkansas. Mr. Barras was born March 5, 1921 in Abbeville, LA and was a resident of this city until his death on September 5, 2006. Many people will remember him as the manager of the Phillips 66 service station at Broussard Pontiac-Buick-GMC, Inc for 30 years from 1957 until 1987. After his retirement, he worked with the Abbeville Police Department for 17 years (1989 to 2006) as the crossing guard at J. H. Williams Middle School. Mr. Barras was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army, 32nd Infantry Division. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign and spoke very proudly of his service off the coast of New Guinea on an island called "Good Enough". After his discharge in 1944, he became a very active member of Vermilion Post 29 of the American Legion. He was most proud of his work as Assistant Adjutant, Adjutant, Historian, Post Commander in 1955 and Area E Commander. In 1962 he was awarded the distinguished "Blue Cap" Awards for the Third District and the State Department of Louisiana. From 1983 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Annual School Awards Committee which presented the American Legion Awards to graduating seniors at Vermilion Parish high schools. For many years he served as chairman of the American Legion Baseball Awards Banquet. Before Highway 14 Bypass was completed, he wrote a resolution that was approved by Vermilion Post 29, and presented to the Mayor of Abbeville and the Vermilion Parish Police Jury requesting that the bypass be named in honor of all Vermilion Parish veterans who gave their lives in all of America's wars. The Abbeville City Council and the Police Jury honored the Legion's request by renaming all of Hwy 14 from Delcambre to Lake Arthur "Veterans' Memorial Drive" except for the portion from State Street to Coulee Kinney which continued to be known as Summers Drive. Mr. Barras had no hobbies but the American Legion became his lifelong passion. The local post awarded him with a "Paid-Up For Life" Membership. He was also a member of the veterans' organization known as the "40 & 8" serving in the office of Correspondent. In 1983, mostly because of his work in the American Legion, the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association honored him as the parish's "Citizen of the Year". The family wishes to thank the staffs of Lafayette General Medical Center and Abbeville General Hospital for his medical treatment and care during his illness. Special thanks are extended to Dr. Ernest Kinchen at the V.A Medical Clinic, Dr. Antoine Keller, Dr. Gary Guidry, Dr. Samuel Shuffler, Dr. Michael Cain, and Dr. Bahman Daneshfar, and nurse Lori Mayard Simon.