Deaths Elsewhere

Retired diocese official
OPELOUSAS – Services for retired Diocese of Lafayette official Bernel Fontenot will be Thursday. He died Dec. 16 at age 74.
He worked for the diocese almost 40 years, retiring as director of the Office of Housing and Institutions. He supervised development of more than 30 facilities designed to provide housing for elderly, handicapped and low-income individuals and families.
Survivors include his wife Jane and a son.
Arrangements are by Lafond-Ardoin

Coach, AE administrator
BATON ROUGE – Services for coach and Adult Education administrator Robert Barrett will be Thursday. He died Dec. 16 at age 87.
He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a member of the Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) Junior College Hall of Fame. He was head track and assistant football and basketball coach at Woodlawn High for 25 years and retired as administrator at Rosenwald Adult Education Center.
Survivors include five children.

Coach, principal
ALEXANDRIA – Services for former coach, principal and assistant school superintendent Tommy G. Smith will be Thursday. He died Dec. 16 at age 78.
He was with the Rapides school system almost 40 years. He was instrumental in opening Sheriff William Earl Hilton’s Youth Academy Boot Camp, from which he later retired.
Survivors include his wife Katie.
Arrangements are by Hixson Bros.

Poultry expert
COLFAX – Services for poultry industry leader George Ronald Owens, Sr. will be Thursday. He died Dec. 16 at age 69.
He developed laying houses in Natchitoches Parish when Country Pride located there. He was a former member of the state Board of Directors of Farm Bureau and was president of the Natchitoches Parish Farm Bureau at his death. He was a chairman of the Louisiana Poultry advisory Committee.
Survivors include his wife Madeline and a son.
Arrangements are by Kramer.

Bossier administrator
HAUGHTON – Services for long-time Bossier Parish administrator James Ramsey will be Thursday. He died at age 78.
He was a mechanical engineer and was on the board of Citizens National Bank.
Survivors include two children.
Arrangements are by Hillcrest.

Civil engineer
NEW ORLEANS – Services for civil engineer Lloyd Held, Jr., who came out of retirement to assist with post-Hurricane Katrina recovery, will be Saturday. He died Dec. 15 at age 71.
He worked for Eustis Engineering for 40 years, retiring as is president.
Survivors include his wife Jessica and two sons.
Arrangements are by Lake Lawn.