Dale Peter Hotard
Dale Peter Hotard, 87, passed away peacefully at Jennings American Legion Hospital at 11 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2019.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, with Father Charles McMillin officiating.
Visitation will be held at Matthews and Son Funeral Home in Jennings Friday, Oct. 4, 2019, from 5-8 p.m., with a rosary recited at 6 p.m.
Graveside services will follow in Calvary Cemetery.
Dale was born in Garyville on Aug. 8, 1932. His family moved to Jennings when he was two years old. He graduated from Jennings High School in 1950 and entered Louisiana State University that same year.
Dale put his college career on hold to join the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and served in the 19th Air Division from 1952-1956. Following his military service, he returned to LSU and graduated with a degree in education in 1958. While at LSU, he met Sandra Ann Passantino of Thibodaux. They were married June 6, 1959. They resided in Jennings for the next 60 years where they raised their family.
Dale began his teaching career at Jennings High School and later at Midland High School. He went on to earn his master’s degree from McNeese State University and served as assistant principal at Jennings High and then principal at Northside Junior High.
Dale left education for a few years in the 1970s and 1980s, first becoming general manager of Foley Drilling Tools and later founding K&H Cypress Outdoor Furniture. In the 1990s, he returned to education and taught history at Notre Dame High School in Acadia Parish until his retirement.
Driven by his love of baseball, he spent many of his summers coaching area youth baseball teams. Most notably, he was coach for the Jennings American Legion baseball team from 1965-1974, culminating in this area’s first regional tournament appearance in Ruston in 1974, a feat not replicated until 2006.
A man of deep Catholic faith, Dale was a longtime parishioner of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings, a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Serra Club and the OLHC Social Committee.
Mr. Hotard was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Leonce Hotard II and Marie Montz Hotard; his son, David Kieran Hotard; his sisters, Mrs. Leo Devall (Dorothy “D.D”), Mildred Hotard, Mrs. Benny Buller (Noelie) and Mrs. Lawrence Foley (Leona); and his brother, Joseph Leonce “Buddy” Hotard III.
Dale is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sandra Ann Passantino Hotard; his sons, Dale Peter Hotard II (Wendy Hundley) of St. Louis, Mo., Thomas J. Hotard (Jitlada Klongdee) of Welsh, Patrick M. Hotard (Donna Taylor) of Irving, Texas, and Stephen C. Hotard (Wendy Hornsby) of Welsh; his grandchildren, Pete, Emma, Catherine, David, Elisabeth, Nathan, Meredith and Arya; and his greatgranddaughter, Colette.
Special thanks to the staff at Jennings American Legion Hospital for their compassion and care.
Words of comfort may be expressed at www.matthewsandsonfuneralhome.net.