Ronald James Boudreaux

If you were to walk down quaint Polk Street, the smell of Bonnie’s cooking and the sound of music would welcome you before you walked up to the Boudreaux house. And on the porch, you’d probably be greeted by Ronny, with his mischievous grin, a twinkle in his eye and a great welcome for family or stranger alike.

But today, Polk Street is quite. The town of Welsh is quite. There is a sadness in the air and an emptiness in the hearts of so many. Ronald James Boudreaux, the husband, son, brother, father, grandfather and life-long resident of Welsh passed on from this life on September 8, 2013. He was 61.

Ronny was born on January 14, 1952, to Lucille and Lloyd Boudreaux. Born on the same day the Today show made its debut, there was no doubt he was going to get some attention. In school, he was a prankster, and well loved by many. But he discovered true love when he met Bonnie Marie Primeaux. They married when he was 18 and began their life together. Soon their duo turned into a family with four kids--Kevin, Rene, Erin and Adrian. They would be married and deeply in love for 43 years.

Ronny gave his life to his family and his city. He worked as a lineman for many years and enjoyed serving the public and getting to know his fellow neighbors and citizens. Bonnie remembers a kind, strong and brave man who was the love of her life and her best friend. When a stranger needed a coat, Ronny literally took his own coat off his back and gave it to him. “The secret to doing what you need to do is to pray to God and believe He hears your prayers. Give him thanks for all you have and He will use you to work wonder in the world,” Ronny wrote in one of his many letters about life.

He was a spiritual man who believed doing and giving your best effort would lead to a good life. “Sometimes you will not know why,” he wrote, “but eventually you will see He is in charge and things do happen according to His will. All we must do is to allow Him to work through us.” During his illness, the prayers from family, friends and the community meant the world to him. He believed in them and he was thankful to those who took the time out of their day to think of him in this most spiritual form of communication.

Ronny lived for his family. Every morning he would call “Ma” to check on her. Every day he would tell Bonnie, as many times as he could, how much he loved her. Every day he would look at pictures of his grandchildren, kiss their pictures when he couldn’t be with them, and laugh at the stories he would hear. Every Thanksgiving the family would wake up to the delicious aroma of Ronny’s turkey that “tasted as good as it smelled,” Bonnie says. His children-- Kevin, Rene, Erin and Adrian-- were his heart. Getting together for regular “kitchen jam sessions” with friends and family was a memory Bonnie says she will treasure in her heart forever.

But now, the Boudreaux kitchen is quite. The silence is… so loud. Deafening. There’s no Ronny playing the guitar, watching the news, eating her gumbo, telling her, “I love you.” He will be missed by many: his wife Bonnie, his mother, Lucille, his brother Mark and his family, his children, Kevin, Rene, Erin and Adrian and their families, his grandchildren and his many friends. But as we mourn our loss, Heaven is in for a concert tonight as Ronny picks up his guitar and starts off with his favorite song to play, “Country Roads.”

Ronny’s memorial service will be held at Hixson Funeral Home of Welsh on Saturday, September 21, 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has established the Ronald Boudreaux Trust at Jeff Davis Bank, 101 North Adams, Welsh, Louisiana, 70591. Phone: 337-734-5555. Words of commfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.