John Donald Land

John Donald Land was born in 1927 in DeQuincy, Louisiana to Werner Lee Land and Sylvia Bergeron Land. He was the fourth of twelve children. He graduated from DeQuincy High School in 1944 at age 16, and he soon left for military service in World War II. He was rejected by the US Navy for being blind in one eye, so he joined the US Merchant Marine and shipped out at age 17. During the war, he was in the South Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Caribbean. Veteran status was extended to WWII Merchant Seamen in 1988.

After the war, he attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI, now ULL) and was a member of the track team. He competed in the broad jump and triple jump and was a four year letterman. After earning his BA in English in 1952, he joined the Navy which accepted him at that time. He became a hospital corpsman and was honorably discharged in 1954. Returning to his native south Louisiana, he began his lifelong career in teaching. He married Dale Hayes of Roanoke, Louisiana in 1959, and they had two children, John and Dana. In 1969, he became assistant principal of Sulphur High School, and in 1981 he became principal until his retirement in 1994.

He was an avid golfer and wordsmith, an excellent teacher, a wonderful husband, a great dad, and a good friend.

He is survived by son John D. Land, Jr. of Cedar Hill, Texas; daughter Dana Land Boutwell and husband Gary of Madisonville, Louisiana; step-grandchildren Hailey and Christian Boutwell; brother Winston Land and wife Carol of Lake Charles; sisters Mary Doyle of Lake Charles and Sharon Rozas of Moss Bluff; sisters-in-law Marie Land of Memphis, Tennessee and Mae Land of DeRidder, Louisiana; brother-in-law Gordon Hayes of Jennings, sisters-in-law Carole Delahoussaye and husband Mike, and Nadine Sadler and husband Doug, all of Lafayette; and Diane Peloquin and husband Randy of St. Amant; along with numerous nieces and nephews

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He is predeceased by his wife Dale; his brothers Werner, Harry Lee, Jim and wife De, Bob and wife Sue, Bill, and Tommy; sisters Irma Rizzi and husband Charles, and Katherine Perkins and husband Tommy; brother-in-law Chester Rozas; sister-in-law Nancy Hayes; sister-in-law Geraldine Landry and husband Sidney; and brother-in-law Rayford Hayes and wife Donna.

The family wishes to thank Helen and George Clyde, Catherine Holmes, and Charles "Buddy" Ritchie for their friendship and support.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the John D. Land Memorial Scholarship Fund at Sulphur High School. Email Dana at [email protected] for details.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Monday, January 23, 2017 at Our Lady Of Prompt Succor Catholic Church. The Revered Patrick LaPoint, Deacon, will officiate. Burial will follow in Mimosa Pines Cemetery in Carlyss. Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Sunday and will resume on Monday from 9:00 until 10:30 a.m. at Hixson-Sulphur Memorial. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com