Rex O. Simon

Leroy—A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 3:00 PM on Wednesday May 3, 2023, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Leroy honoring the life of Rex O. Simon, 87. He died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Sunday, April 30, 2023, following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He will be laid to rest at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Cemetery with Reverend Mario Romero officiating the services, concelebrated by Reverend Paul Bienvenu and Reverend Louis J. Richard. Pallbearers will be Bryan Simon, Mark Simon, Damian Calato, Peter DeHart, Keith Dronet, Dominic Calato, Noah Pontiff, and Mike Simon.  Honorary Pallbearers will be Dale Frederick, Tommy Delhomme, Donald Domingue, and John Robin.

Rex was a prayerful man of God and a servant leader throughout his life, serving his church, family, and community. He was loyal to the church parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Leroy, where he was a Trustee, Parish Council Member, Lector, Eucharistic Minister, and Usher. He had a charitable heart with a long history of helping family, friends, neighbors, and others in his community.

He attended school in Leroy until 8th grade, then went on to Maurice High School where he met the love of his life, Betty Jane Simon, in their class of 18 students.  They graduated in 1954 and were married the following year.  Rex had a passion for farming at a very young age, and while in high school, held the state office of Second Vice President of Louisiana’s Future Farmers of America.

After graduating, Rex attended SLI then began his successful career as a farmer.  Over the next six decades he farmed several crops including rice, soybeans, sugarcane, and crawfish, and he also raised cattle.  Rex was a passionate and knowledgeable Agribusinessman seeking out and applying farming research, growing experimental crops, and serving on the boards of numerous agricultural organizations such as the County Farm Service Agency, Farm Bureau, Vermilion Farmer’s Co-op, Louisiana Rice Council, and Vermilion Rice Growers. Late in his career, Rex was hired by Kleentek, an Atlanta-based company, to grow disease-free seed cane in northern Vermilion Parish. He was well respected throughout the region as a trusted advisor to many young farmers, both family and friends.

Rex served his country as a Sergeant, E5 in Louisiana’s National Guard and was a Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He received numerous awards throughout his career including the Farm Bureau Lifetime Achievement Award.

In Vermilion Parish, Rex was selected to serve on the Home Rule Charter Commission.  He also served on a small committee to find common ground in developing the branding for the consolidation of Maurice and Meaux High Schools into North Vermilion High School.

He was preceded in death by his parents and birth parents - Zeolide “Zeo” Trahan Vincent, Oleus Vincent, Della Trahan Simon, and Sidney Simon (Mabel); one brother Paul Simon; one half-brother Larry Simon (Carole); and one great granddaughter, Stevie Renee Weaver.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Betty Jane Frederick Simon; five children, Della DeHart and her husband Peter of Abbeville, Julie Simon-Dronet and her husband Keith of Lafayette, Ellen Calato and her husband Damian of Baton Rouge, Bryan Simon and his wife Roslyn of Leroy, and Mark Simon and his wife Amy of Maurice. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren, Noah Pontiff, Nikki Calato Allen (Adron), Kerri Calato Guidry (Dave), Sara Dronet Young (Ryan), Natalie Dronet Weaver (Chad), Dominic Calato, Kacy Simon, and Meg Simon; and six great grandchildren, Rex Allen, Warner Young, Amelie Allen, James Weaver, Hayes Young, and William Weaver. Rex is also survived by a sister-in law, Lou Simon, and three half-siblings, James “Jimmy” Simon (Ellen), Toni Bennett (Charles), and Brenda Alleman (Earl).

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home – Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St. on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. A rosary will be prayed at 6 PM by Rex and Jane’s children, as they did as a family daily. Visitation will continue on Wednesday May 3, 2023, at Vincent Funeral Home, from 1 PM until 2:30 PM, when the procession departs for the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any charitable contributions be made to Hospice of Acadiana at hospiceacadiana.com or to the American Parkinson Disease Association at apdaparkinson.org in honor of Rex’s years of loving and unwavering role as Caregiver of his beloved wife Jane.

The Simon family would like to thank the compassionate staff of Hospice of Acadiana, Dr. Michael Alexander, Dr. Philippe Prouet, Dr. James Bienvenu and others who helped care for Rex.