John W. Louviere, Jr.
John W. Louviere, Jr, 85, was born Aug. 2, 1934, in Lacassine to John Whitney Louviere, Sr., and Mary Richard Louviere.
John met his Savior on Nov. 3, 2019. after spending his last few months in residence at Southwest Louisiana Veterans’ Home.
Funeral services for Mr. Louviere will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, in Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, with Rev. Charles McMillin officiating.
Funeral home visitation will be held from 4-9 p.m. Friday and will continue from 8 a.m. until time of services on Saturday.
A rosary will be recited at 6 p.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel.
Entombment will be in Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum under the direction of Miguez Funeral Home of Jennings.
John attended Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church where he served as an altar server in his youth. In later years he was a eucharistic minister to homebound and hospital patients, as well as an Usher.
John was a 1952 graduate of Jennings High School and an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Loyola University of the South in New Orleans with a degree in pharmacy. He received the Dean’s Award in his senior year and was a member of the Blue Key National Honor Society. His continuing education earned him the Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
John received a direct commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army where he attended the U.S. Army Medical Service School in San Antonio, Texas. He was assigned to Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colo., as a pharmacy officer. There he met the love of his life, Marietta A. Behrendt. They were married on June 28, 1958, at St. Edward’s Catholic Church in Chicago, Ill. John was honorably discharged from the Army in 1963 as a 1st Lieutenant. He returned to Louisiana and worked for Charles Bull at Cresent Drug Store in Welsh before moving to Weatherfield, Ill. The Louvieres later moved to Woodstock, Ill., where John worked in retail pharmacy for many years. John was the charter president of McHenry County Pharmacist Association. John also served a term as president of Woodstock Lions Club and was a member of McHenry County Board of Health and Woodstock Rotary Club.
John was licensed to practice pharmacy in Colorado, Illinois and Louisiana. The Louvieres lived in Illinois until 1980 when they chose to return to Louisiana. John worked as director of pharmacy at Jennings American Legion Hospital until his retirement in 1993.
John was a member of Knights of Council 2012 and was initiated in both 3rd and 4th degrees, the highest order that can be achieved. He was also a member of the Knights of Msgr. Joseph Peters 4th Degree Assembley and a member of East Deanery of Lake Charles Sierra Club. He served many years as a board member of Jennings American Legion Hospital.
John was a charter member of James O. Hall Post 19 of the American Legion and participated in over 600 military protocols since the Honor Guard formed in 2004. In 2015, he received the state level M.C. “Mike” Gehr Blue Cap Award as Outstanding Legionnaire for the state of Louisiana among Legion members who have never served in an elective office above Post level.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Marietta B. Louviere; his four children, Thomas (Cindy) Louviere, Kenneth (Tammy) Louviere, Mark (Lisa) Louvier and Andrea Louviere; nine grandchildren, Lisa Louviere, Sara Louviere Moye, Robin Louviere (fiancé’ Dutch Crowe), Ashley Louviere (fiancé’ Thomas Jones), Kendall Louviere (Wesley) Gregory, Andrew Louviere, Mary Louviere, Liliane Fruge (fiancé Arron Miller) and Leon Fruge; and nine great grandchildren.
John was an avid fisherman and hunter. He also loved photography, computers, gardening, remote-controlled airplanes, ham radios, metal detecting, motorcycles and shooting pool with his family. He acted in several A Block Off Broadway plays and was filmed in three local TV commercials.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the family at www.miguezfuneralhome.com.