Gerald Donald Joncas

Bossier City, LA

Mr. Gerald Joncas, 62, passed away, surrounded by his loving family August 22, 2009. A memorial service celebration Gerry’s life will be held Saturday, September 5, 2009 at 2:00 pm at Hill Crest Memorial Chapel, Chaplain Jim Brooks and Chaplin Mary Preziosi will be officiating.

Gerald was a member of the United States Air Force until his retirement. Gerald then went on to work for the VA for several years until his second retirement.

Gerald is preceded in death by his Parents Henri and Emelda (Dore) Joncas, sister Monique Joncas, brother Ray Joncas and baby daughter Tammy Sue Joncas. Those left to cherish his memory include: his loving wife of 42 years, Nelda Joncas, son Donald Joncas and wife Bretta of Bossier City, LA, son Brian Joncas and wife Cynthia of Haughton, LA, daughter Cathy Joncas of Bossier City, sister Rita LaGualt of Baldwinsville, NY, Elain Basch of Tavres,FL, sister Rhea Filion of Cornwall, Ontario, and brother Maurice Joncas of Cornwall, Ontario; and grandchildren Nicholas, Haley, Jordan, Nathan and baby Ian.

The Joncas family wishes to express there thanks to Dr. Chintapolli, the 6th floor nurses, the chemo and oncology nurses and staff, Christus Schumpert, and Grace Home.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family by visiting www.hillcrestmemorialfh.com

To Gerald Donald Joncas, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Gerald, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Gerald really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Gerald was born on September 6, 1946 at He was born at his residence in Cornwell,Ontario Canada. His parents were Henri and Emelda. Gerald was raised in Cornwell. Even as a child, Gerald had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Gerald was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Gerald managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Gerald was raised with his five siblings. He had two brothers, Maurice( “Beaver”) and Ranie and three sisters Rita, Elaine, and Rhea.

All of Gerald's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Gerald experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in swimming, hockey, and baseball. He was a member in the band. In his spare time he liked comic books and baseball cards. Gerald's memorable achievements included being a cadet in a military scottish regiment. He loved wearing his kilt.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Gerald was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Gerald simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Gerald, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Gerald's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Gerald graduated from St. Lawrence High School in 1965. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was Shop.

Gerald reveled in his college years, where his imagination could run free. He was viewed by many of his classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Gerald was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. He was a jovial person who loved to share his passion for fun with others. But for Gerald, life was not a case of all play and no work. Gerald relished the task of putting his imagination to work in class. He was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. His favorite course was speech. He received the most improved award before the semester was over.

Gerald never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Gerald to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Gerald delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Gerald was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Gerald utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Jeff Thauvette, Johnny Pidgeon, Bob Fournier, and Claude Marleau. Later in life, he became best friends with Ronnie Walburn better known as “Wally”. Gerald loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Gerald very easy to approach. On December 16, 1966 Gerald exchanged wedding vows with Nelda Jean Britnell at HillCrest Baptist Church of Haughton,La. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Gerald related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Gerald was blessed with three children, two sons Donald and Brian one daughter Cathy. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Nicholas, Haley, Jordan, Nathan, and Ian. Gerald had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Gerald's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Gerald had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Gerald was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Gerald liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Gerald was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Gerald's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Gerald as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was a printer while serving in the Air Force for 24 years. After retiring from the Air Force he went to work at the V. A. Hospital in the reproduction dept. For 18 years.

Gerald was in the Air Force for 24 years. He was station at Barksdale air force base, Nebraska, Hawaii, Barksdale again, Virginia, England, and Texas. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Master Sergeant.

Gerald enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Gerald liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were tinkering on lawnmower with his friend Wally to give to families who did not have one. Gerald was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Gerald felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Gerald loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Gerald relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Gerald never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Gerald played hockey and lacrosse. Recreational sports included bowling, baseball, and tennis. Gerald was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were tennis, women volleyball, and hockey.

Naturally outgoing and generous, Gerald was regularly doing things for others. For him, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though he never set out to gain individual recognition, Gerald was given accolades for his many and varied accomplishments throughout his life. Some of his most prestigious awards included Employee of the Year at the V. A. Hospital.

Living life in the fast lane suited Gerald just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included a two week tour of Europe with Nelda.

Gerald believed that you had to experience life, and his life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2005, Gerald took it in stride as one more way to have fun. His new life involved relocating to Bossier City, La. With his boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Gerald remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, he found new pleasure in Golden Age Games which he loved to play horseshoes and ping pong. Even in retirement, Gerald continued to stay in touch with his old friends and, since he'd never met a stranger, he made plenty of new acquaintances as well.

Gerald passed away on August 22, 2009 at Grace Home in Shreveport, La. Gerald fought a brave battle against cancer. He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years ,Nelda Joncas, son Donald Joncas and wife Bretta, son Brian Joncas and we Cynthia, daughter Kathy Joncas, sister Rita LaGualt, Elain Basch, and Rhea Filion, brother Maurice Joncas, five grandchildren, Nicholas, Haley, Jordan Nathan, and baby Ian. Services were held at Hill Crest Chapel. Gerald was laid to rest in Hill Crest Memorial Park.

Gerald brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Gerald Donald Joncas lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.