Arthelus Paul Cormier

Arthelus Paul “Noon” Cormier,91 years old, died in his sleep on October 11, 2011, ready to shed his earthly body and meet his parents, brothers, friends and beloved wife in Heaven. Any thunder heard on this day should be attributed to the many horses undoubtedly stampeding to greet him as well.

Noon is survived by nine children, four sons and five daughters. These children produced thirty-one grandchildren, forty-one great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren that were all adored by their Paw Paw. And they loved him in turn as a grandfather always ready to hold a baby, lead someone on horseback, share a cookie or some sage advice. He leaves a legacy of love and service to his family that will not be forgotten.

The oldest of three boys, Noon was the son of Vivia Foreman Cormier and Euman Paul Cormier. His brothers Warren and Charles Cormier, have preceded him in death, and their losses were ones that weighed greatly on him. Noon quit school to help support his family during the Great Depression, and during this time the bonds of very strong s were built with his brothers, of whom he was so proud.

As a young man, Noon joined the Merchant Marines, seeking to help with the war efforts. He told us stories of the many supply ships he worked on that were eventually sunk by the German U-Boats, including the last one he had been assigned to but did not board, having decided the Navy was a safer bet.

During his stint with the U.S. Navy in WWII, he was stationed in Jamaica on Goat Island, and then at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as a telegraph operator, Radioman 1st Class, V6. He was privileged to be the first person on base to receive both the notice of FDR’s death and the message that the war had ended.

A Cajun boy from Southwest Louisiana, Noon fell in love with an exotic Cuban beauty the day he met her in Santiago, Cuba—our mother, Maria Antonia Cano Cormier. He petitioned to marry her and went through many bureaucratic hurdles to make her his wife and bring her back to Louisiana. They were married for 60 years before she passed away in 2005. Noon sponsored the emigration of her entire family after Castro took over Cuba, working two jobs to support three families. Some of his daughters visited Cuba recently with their Cuban cousin and all realized how his efforts had saved the families from desperate living conditions had they remained there.

After his marriage, he opened and ran Cormier’s Grocery at the corner of W. 18th Street and Hazel Street for many years, shipping boudin, sausage and Cajun delicacies on request all over the country. In the late 1960’s he opened Shop-A-Lot convenience store. He loved helping the community in his neighborhood and was known to run tabs for customers’ groceries, and then destroy the tabs without collecting if the family was having a hard time paying.

Noon was a horseman. It was a great passion of his and he raised and raced some fabulous quarter horses in match races held at bush tracks all around Southwest Louisiana over many years. Like his father and grandfather, he was an excellent judge of horseflesh and a shrewd race tactician – two traits that spelled doom to many an opponent.

Dad was a generous man, with a positive outlook on life. He was self-made and courageous and did everything he could to help his children including putting them through college, into businesses, and sending them traveling to various parts of the world. We will all miss him terribly but were blessed to have him with us for so long.

A sailor, a grocer, a butcher, a horseman, a father, a husband, a Cajun – Mr. Cormier was all of these things and so much more to the family he leaves behind and those he ascends to join.

His children in order of birth are Antonia Maria Pesson (Terry), Arthur Paul Cormier (Tammy), Joseph Clark Allen Cormier (Medina), Vivia Ann White, Anna Mae Magee (Ed), Sandra Louise Cormier, Leopold Dave Cormier (Kim), Carmen Marina Sutton (Mark), Arthelus Paul Trout (Cristella.)

Funeral Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, October 13, 2011 at Christ the King Catholic Church. Rev. Wayne LeBleu will officiate. Burial will be in Prien Memorial Park. Visitation will be at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles on Wednesday from 5-9 p.m. with rosary at 6 p.m. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com

John 16:22

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.