Deaths Elsewhere

Civil rights leader
OPELOUSAS – Services for educator and civil rights activist the Rev. Dr. Charles Bryant will be Saturday. He died Feb. 19 at age 81.
He was co-founder of the St. Landry chapter of the NAACP and was influential in the desegregation of public facilities and public schools in St. Landry Parish.
He was an English and Speech teacher and a former state associate superintendent of education. He also worked as Director of Mentoring Programs and HUD Programs at Southern University and became an associate professor in the university graduate school.
Survivors include a daughter.
Arrangements are by Williams.

Cajun musician
LAFAYETTE – Arrangements are pending for noted Cajun musician Al Berard. He died Feb. 26 at age 53.
Berard had done two recording sessions the day before his death. His band was the once-Grammy nominated Basin Brothers. He played the guitar, fiddle and mandolin. He also performed with his Berard Family Band and the Al Berard Cajun Combo and numerous other bands.