Charles “Ronnie” Chaumont
IOTA — A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Iota for Charles “Ronnie” Chaumont, 78, who died peacefully at home with family on Sept. 6, 2023.
Fr. Mikel Polson, Pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Crowley, will officiate for the services with both Fr. Andrew Killeen and Fr. Jude Thierry concelebrating. The family requests visiting hours Thursday from 2-8 p.m. with a rosary being recited at 6 p.m. and Friday from 8-10:45 a.m. Burial will be in the Southwest Louisiana Veteran Cemetery at 12:30 p.m., Sept. 15 with military honors being performed by the U.S. Navy and Acadiana Veterans Honor Guard.
Affectionately known as “Coach” to many, Ronnie had deep faith and actively served in his church parishes as a Lector and Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharist. Ronnie was a diligent, hardworking and competitive man. He was a member of the McNeese Cowboy Football Team and was proud to have played on the 1963 undefeated team. He served his country in the U.S. Navy as a member of Combined Joint Special Operations in Vietnam. He received the National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, a Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon and a Vietnam Campaign Medal. Coach enjoyed being part of the lives of many young men and women in several schools throughout his career. He was the head football coach at Jennings High School, LaGrange High School and Sulphur High School. He also coached at Sam Houston High School, Basile High School and Cleveland ISD. Coach Chaumont recognized that he owed much of his success to the men who served as his assistants, together they formed a team. He was forever grateful to the communities where he coached and the tremendous support he received from the parents. He served as a Principal in Jeff Davis Parish and was Supervisor of Transportation and Maintenance for Acadia Parish School Board.
He is survived by his wife Gretchen, daughter Leah C. Kennedy (Shaun), sons, Jeffrey Chaumont (Jessica) and Ronnie Chaumont (Laura). He cherished being a father and husband. He was Paw Paw to Jack, Samuel, Sophia, Helene, Adelle, Camille, Caitlin and Lily. Being their Paw Paw brought immense joy to him. He has three sisters, Wanda Langley, Donna Krause, Denise Doss (Kenny) and a brother, Anthony Chaumont (Tammy). He also has four brothers-in-law, Dan Elfert (Stephanie), David Elfert (Mary Beth), Philip Elfert and Thomas Elfert (Mark), and four sisters-in-law, Rachel Christ (Gerald), Monica Hanley (Jack), Maria O’Neal (Deutsche) and Elizabeth DeBerry (Drew).
Ronnie was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Alice Johnson Chaumont, brothers-in-law Sherman Langley and Stephen Krause, in-laws Joseph and Betty Elfert and nephew Jason Langley.
Pallbearers will be Anthony Chaumont, Kenny Doss, Jonathan Langley, Deutsche O’Neal, Gerald Christ and Drew DeBerry.
All his former players are invited to be Honorary Pallbearers.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www. geesey-ferguson.com Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home, 509 Duson Avenue, Iota, LA 70543, 337779-2669.