Delma Joseph “DJ” Meaux, Jr. of Delcambre, Louisiana passed away peacefully at home under the prayerful care of his wife, Mary Nell, and family on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, at the age of 94. DJ is a native of South Louisiana and lived most of his life in Vermilion Parish. He was born at home to a French only speaking family in Abbeville on August 27, 1927. He will be remembered for his honesty, family loyalty, and the many poems and stories he wrote. During his youth he ran his own bicycle newspaper route developing his sense of dependability, organization, and commitment. He enlisted on his 18th birthday and joined the Army on November 8, 1945 and was honorably discharged in 1948. He was stationed in France during the occupation as a translator and in Germany as an accountant. During this time, he reunited his mother with her Desjacques ancestry cousins from Cervens, Haute-Savoie, France forming a family connection which continues to this day. DJ attended Spencer’s Business School of Lafayette; Southwestern Louisiana Institute earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education B.A. (1952); and Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge earning a Master’s of Education Degree M.Ed. (1957). DJ obtained Louisiana State Certification in the areas of Principalship (K-12th), Parish Supervisor (1st-12th), and Elementary Grades Teacher (1st-8th). His first teaching assignment in 1952 was located at Bayou Chene in the Atchafalaya Basin, a two room schoolhouse reachable only by boat in the Louisiana Swamps, where he was also the US Postmaster (1952-1953). He had a brief teaching assignment in Berwick before completing his 23 year teaching career in Delcambre. He retired from teaching in 1975. DJ enjoyed his teaching career which included organizing Delcambre High Schools yearbook staff, photography lab, filming Delcambre High’s football games, and starting a French language program at the school. He was an active member of the Lions Club. After retirement he served as the City of Delcambre’s Town Clerk. He took great pleasure gardening and raising cows, horses, chickens, ducks, pigs, and an Alpaca at his farm which was known as Pine Haven Farm. DJ and Nell loved to travel and made numerous trips to France to visit their relatives and trips with family members to various parts of the United States, Europe, Mexico, Israel, South Korea, and Indonesia. Even though he lived outside the city limits of Delcambre, DJ was awarded the Key to Delcambre by Proclamation on December 29, 2019, by Mayor Pam Blakely . DJ’s children established a ULL Scholarship Fund in his honor for the Advancement of French Studies. This scholarship has been awarded to a deserving student each year majoring in French Studies since 2015.
DJ was preceded in death by his parents Marie Marceaux Desjacques (1903-1996) and Delma Joseph Meaux Sr. (1868-1953), brothers Dave Meaux (1929-2007) and Dalton Meaux (1932-1932), daughter in law, Lee Anne Meaux, and granddaughter Shawna Meaux Terrell Licata (1975-2021) daughter of Delma III and Rosemary. DJ is survived by his wife of 71 glorious years, Mary Nell Suire of Delcambre. Together they enjoyed a family of nine children: Anna Marie (1 daughter, 3 grandchildren) spouse Michael Roebuck; Brenda Faye (2 daughters, 1 grandson +1 one on the way) spouse Daniel Trevino; Delma Joseph III (1 daughter, 5 grandchildren, 1 great grandson) wife Rosemary Harringa; Dalton James (1 daughter, 5 sons, 7 grandchildren) wife Roxanna Young; Mary Nell (3 daughters, 1 son, 9 grandchildren) spouse Mark LaSalle; David John (4 daughters, 1 son, 2 grandsons +1 one on the way) wife Tina Dupre; Dwight Jason (2 sons) wife Karen Reeves; Margaret Jane (4 daughters, 3 sons, 2 grandchildren) spouse Richard Templeton; and Douglas Jeremy (3 daughters, 2 granddaughters) wife Heather Thibodeaux. DJ is also survived by his sister Marie Melise Meaux Broussard and foster siblings Sister Mary Evelyn Needra Mire of Lafayette and Saul Mire of New York.
The family appreciates the care provided by the staff of NSI Nursing Specialties Home Health and Hospice of Lafayette, as well as, Rev. Paul Broussard for his words of comfort.
All are invited to attend the visitation at Evangeline Funeral Home in Delcambre on Monday, October 4, 2021, starting at 9:00 AM. A funeral mass will be held at 2:00 PM at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Cemetery in Delcambre with full Military Honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Delma Joseph & Mary Nell Meaux Scholarship in French Studies by visiting this website: https://give.louisiana.edu/academic-colleges/college-liberal-arts” and include the name of the scholarship with your donation or you can contact Katherine Burlette at the ULL Foundation at email: [email protected].
To view on-line obituary and sign the guest register, please visit www.evangelinefuneralhome.com.
Evangeline Funeral Homes of Delcambre is in charge of arrangements.
