Herman Michael Gautreaux

He was an operator who worked at Ethyl Corp. and retired from BASF Wyandotte Corp. A native of Gonzales and a resident of Denham Springs, he died at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, at Ochsner Medical Center of Baton Rouge at age 87. Herman was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a graduate of Port Allen High School. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd., on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation will resume at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Denham Springs, on Friday from 10 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m., with the Rev. Paul A. Gros, celebrant. Interment with military honors will follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Marian Lopes Gautreaux; two daughters, Dianne Gautreaux Delatorre and husband Dennis, and Carol Orihuela; three sons, Mike Gautreaux and wife Claudette Melon, Eddie Gautreaux and wife Glenda Bell, and Wendell Gautreaux and wife Mary Hodge; grandchildren, Brian, Renee, Eric and Aaron Delatorre, Ronald G. Melon, Mary Ann King, Leilani L. Melon, Michael Gautreaux III, Louis Gautreaux, Michele Hebert, Christie Dorsa, and Melanie, Wendell and Nicholas Gautreaux; 27 great-grandchildren; a great-great-granddaughter; and two sisters, Ouida Davis and Lucille Altazan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Florian J. and Annisette Young Gautreaux; brothers, Shelton J. Gautreaux and Hewitte J. Gautreaux; and sisters, Velda Gautreaux and Velma Babin. Pallbearers will be his grandsons and his son, Wendell. Honorary pallbearers are his great-grandchildren. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and American Legion Nicholson Post 38.