Jean Arick Simon Jr.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 at 11 a.m. Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church for Jean Arick Simon, Jr, 70, who died Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at 1:58 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette.
Following completion of high school and several years of college at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette), Jean volunteered to enlist in the Marine Corps in 1968 to serve as a helicopter mechanic. Jean deployed to Vietnam for a combat tour as a mechanic and crew chief aboard the CH-46 Sea Knight and UH-1 Huey conducting countless combat assault support and search and rescue missions in support of combat operations which earned him the coveted Combat Air Crew Wings. Returning from Vietnam, Jean was assigned to NAS Fort Worth where he finished up his initial Marine Corps assignment and met the love of life and wife, Charlotte Sue Gorman. Jean and Charlotte married in 1972 and returned to Louisiana with their first born child, Brian, in 1973. Jean worked in the Baton Rouge area for several years then relocated back to his hometown of Crowley where he worked in the local area for numerous years with Goodyear, Grey Wolf, self-employed businesses, Boeing and the city of Crowley as the Wastewater Superintendent. During this time, Jean continued to serve in the Marine Corps Reserve where he was recalled to active service for operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990/1991. He achieved the final rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant and retired from the Marine Corps in 1995. He continued to work for the City of Crowley as the Wastewater Director after which he moved to Dequincy, La to serve as the LAWCO city superintendent. Jean then transferred to New Iberia to serve as the Parish Water Treatment Coordinator. Jean’s final job before retiring in August 2017 was as a water treatment consultant for rural municipalities with the Louisiana Rural Water Association. Jean’s hobbies included golfing, cooking with friends and family, eating, coaching youth sports and volunteering in the local communities and with faith-based organizations like the Knights of Columbus.
Fr. Jason Vidrine, Pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, will officiate for the services. The family requests visiting hours Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. A rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Jean is survived by his wife, Charlotte Gorman Simon of New Iberia; two sons, Brian Simon and his wife Cathy of Tampa, FL, Randall Benson and his wife Judy of Maypearl, Texas; one daughter, Cheryl Allred of Ftla. Worth, Texas; two sisters, Mary Hoffpauer and her husband Jacko of Atlanta, Ga., Cecelia B. Chambers and her husband Garrick of Crowley; Two brothers, Norris “Butch” Simon and his wife Brenda of Crowley, Norbert “Bert” Simon and his wife Sonya of Branch; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jean Arick and Eula Hargrave Simon; his maternal grandparents, William and Dolly Hargrave; his paternal grandparents, Jean and Amelia Simon; his brother-in-law, David L. Broussard.
Pallbearers will be Brian Simon, Randy Benson, Butch Simon, Bert Simon, Marcus Broussard and Clayton Simon.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.geesey-ferguson.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home, 301 North Avenue F, Crowley, LA 70526, 337-783-3313.