Joseph Delahoussaye II

10/10/1961 - 06/30/2025

Intro

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jospeh Huey Delahoussaye II, a son of God, a devoted father, cherished grandfather, a loving brother, and steadfast friend, on June 30, 2025, at the age of 63. He leaves behind a legacy defined by unwavering faith, the power of transformation, lasting love, and a life lived with purpose and passion.

Del, as he was known by family and friends, was born in New Iberia, Louisiana on October 10, 1961. Del was guided from an early age by the values of faith and family. Though marked by hardships, these challenges became the foundation of strength and perseverance. Through adversity he learned the importance of hope, hard work, and the enduring power of belief – lessons that would guide him throughout his life.

Childhood

Like cypress stumps his Cajun roots were planted deep within him; Cajun food, zydeco, bourree’, fishing, LSU Tigers, Delta Downs, and Louisiana Power Ball. On Sunday’s he enjoyed the smell of gumbo simmering, watching the Saints play, and a call back home to check in on his Daddy. He knew the rhythms of crawfish seasons and the sacred silence of moon lit evenings spent crabbing.

Del spoke of weekend visits on Reynolds Street with Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw, rice and gravy, cold ones on the back lawn, coffee milk, and foam trays that were cleaned and filled with the sweetest cantaloupe. Afternoon drives down cane field roads to Belair Dr., meet ups at the city park, and all the memories as a Yellow Jacket at New Iberia Senior High with Chrystel Kaye by his side, up to no damn good.

Del grew up in a town where the streets were cracked, the houses were weathered, and the air always seemed to carry the weight of yesterday’s troubles. His family didn’t have much, but what they had was stitched together with grit, faith, and love. As the oldest of four, he was often the mediator, protector, and authoritarian. An honorable duty that gained him the trust and respect of each sibling, and an unbreakable bond that would prove to last a lifetime.

His mother, Hattie, was his kryptonite; she loved him with a tenderness that was wrapped in expectation. The one person who could undo him with a glance, whose words could cut deeper than a blade or lift him higher than the sky. She was complicated — hard-edged and soft-hearted, but fierce in her love. She loved in a way that could feel like a storm—loud, unpredictable, impossible to escape. Hurricane Hattie was a force to reckon with. But even in the harshest moments, he knew she loved him in a way no one else ever could. The way only a mother could. From his mother, he learned resilience. She gave him fire. She gave him the stubbornness to get back up when life knocked him down.

He understood her in ways that no one else could. Able to see that her roughness was armor, that her mistakes were never rooted in the absence of love but in the burden of her own unhealed places. She wasn’t perfect. She wasn’t easy. But her love for him was the one thing that never wavered — a love without end, without condition, even when it came tangled in hard lessons. She broke him in places he would later build into something stronger. She built him in ways no one else could have. And though the weight of her could undo him even as a grown man, he wouldn’t have wished it any other way. Because sometimes your Kryptonite isn’t what destroys you, it’s what reveals who you really are.

His father, Huey, was his hero. He was proud to carry the name of the man for whom he so loved and respected. He taught him to work hard, to pray harder, and to carry his disappointments like a man. His father was a working man—built by racetracks, horse stalls, and a life that never handed him a free ride. The stables were his refuge, a place where he could reflect and share his love for horses with those around him, especially his children. The “horse” life wasn't something he chose; it was something he was. Instilled in him by way of survival.

Del grew up on horse tracks and it was here where he grew to understand grit; the daily grind of horse training, the anticipation of race day, the disappointment from a loss, and the thrill of each win that left you wanting more. From his father, he learned perseverance and integrity. He shared his father’s love for horses, some would say an occupational hazard, others complete admiration. The life where stables were a sanctuary, rice hauls were despised, and the loved shared would plant deep seeds. Del’s passion was never the horse, it was always the man who trained the horse, his ideal, his father who he loved and respected dearly.

Del’s childhood was hard, but it wasn’t without beauty. His faith became his anchor—not just the faith his family taught him, but the quiet, questioning kind that grows in a boy who’s seen both light and shadow in his own home. He loved his parents not because they were perfect, but because they were his. He forgave them, even when he didn’t fully understand them. As he grew into his own man, Del carried both of them inside him.

He loved his mother. He loved his father. And he loved the man he became because of them—and sometimes, in spite of them.

New Beginnings, The Lone Star State

The bayou would always be a part of him—woven into his bones like the grain of an old pirogue—but he no longer chased what was behind him. He learned that you don’t have to forget your roots to grow somewhere else. You just need faith to start planting again. And though the bayou would always call to him, he had learned that sometimes, you don’t have to go home to know where you’re from. Sometimes, you carry it with you, forever.

His road was long, and sometimes it was lonesome. But somewhere between the distance and the dust, he found faith—or maybe, it was that faith found him. The reunion with his children gave him purpose, a reason to put one foot in front of the other. He worked hard at being a better man; he dedicated himself to his career, he attended mass on Sundays and lived with the quiet conviction of a man finally at peace.

Though Texas was his home, Del still carried the Cajun in him—it was in the way he told stories, in the roast he simmered on cool nights, in the soft Cajun lilt that never quite left his tongue, and the necessity to be in that recliner before the LSU Tigers marched the field on Saturdays. It was the scheduled Sunday chats with Poppa in Cajun French that created their private space. This cherished ritual was a precious time when he felt closest to his father, a warm feeling of connection and belonging, reminding him of the special bond between Sir I and Baby Sir.

The life he’d known, though rich in heritage, had begun to feel like a cage he couldn’t explain. He tried to outrun it, to trade the pull of his past for something lighter, something new. In a distant city, far from the bayou, he built a life that felt foreign at first—new streets, new faces, new ways of living that didn’t carry the weight of his past.

But he no longer belonged to the Louisiana wetlands alone, his heart resided in the Lone Star State, where each of its four chambers beat faithfully for his four children until his final breath. He wasn’t a man who had abandoned his roots. He was a man who had been replanted, his faith the fertile ground, his purpose the rain. His abundant harvest of joy and love were shared with his family.

Career

Del dedicated 35 years to his career at Hodges Southwest in Houston, Texas. His loyalty and work ethic earned the respect and admiration of colleagues and customers alike. He approached every challenge with integrity, and his commitment was a testament to his character. I know for certain he would never have made it without the comradery, support, laughs, and love of his coworkers. They became his family, and ours.

Passion

Sports were Del’s favorite pastime. From cheering on his favorite teams to supporting his grandchildren from the bleachers, he found delight in the camaraderie and competition. His support and dedication to his grandchildren taught them the discipline and love for the game and he relished every moment spent in the stands or at the sidelines cheering them on.

Family

But above all, Del’s greatest love was his family. His children were his pride and joy, and he nurtured them with wisdom, laughter, and unconditional support. As a grandfather, he found his true calling. His grandchildren were his whole heart, his entire world—he was their biggest fan, their gentle teacher, and their steadfast protector. Del went by many names, Baby Sir, Daddy, Parain, Delby, and the infamous “Not Well Del”, but his favorite title was “Pops”. He wore it well and earned the gold trophy and every associated badge for being the best Pops; going to every game, dance recital, gymnastics competition, awards ceremony, and school event for each grandkid. Together there were nine total, and he referred to them as his “Tribe”. He was the Leader of the “Boys Club” and never said no to his “Divas”. They were his breath. His saving grace.

Closing

Del lived a life marked by resilience and devotion. It was there, in that space between who he was and who he was becoming, that he found his faith—not the faith of his childhood, handed down like a family recipe, but a faith he chose for himself, forged in the fires of his wandering and his love for his family. It grounded him, not in geography, but in purpose.

Though he has left this world, Del’s spirit will carry on in the faith he shared, the love he gave, the way he made you laugh, and the memories he created. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered. Daddy, we don’t say goodbye, simply “See you soon, The Good Lord willing, we will be together again”. Until that precious day, throw you a line tee boy, drink a few cold ones, turn on your radio, tap that foot to some good ole’ cajun music, and you and Blakey give ‘em hell up there.

Del is survived by his beloved children, Callie Renee’ Perez, Margan Claire Nixon, and Brittanie Gale Delahoussaye; his treasured grandchildren, Michael Delahoussaye, Aidan Hunt Nixon, Mackenzie Louise Milutin, Anastin Gale Nixon, Marlie Rae Messer, Brooks Michael Perez, Bennet Joseph Perez, Jack David Nixon, Mason Matthew Messer; cherished siblings, Pickles Delahoussaye Kelly, Heath Delahoussaye, and Honi Anne Delahoussaye, and Tina Gajun Louviere (Nanny Tina, Delahoussaye Angel on Earth); his adored nieces and nephews, Scotty James Broussard, Tyler Paul Touchet, Brandon Delahoussaye, McKinna Dartez Chrismer, Derric “Bucky” Dartez-Santos, Adam Thomas Kelly, and Darbi Alexis Kelly; his stepmother, Rowena Thibodeaux Delahoussaye; uncle, Glenn Delahoussaye; aunts, Susan Delahoussaye, Joanna Delahoussaye Durke; and his best friends, through thick and thin, Kathi Cole and Chrystel Kaye Smith.

Del is preceded by his son, Blake Matthew Delahoussaye; his beloved mother and father, Hattie Magarette Zagar and Joseph Huey Delahoussaye I; grandparents Anna Mae Langlinais Guillotte Russel Guillotte, Flo and Junius Delahoussaye, E.A. and Helen Belle Zagar, W.L. and Mattie Estis, and Nelson “Pop Thib” Thibodeaux; sister-in-law, Marcia Delahoussaye; and precious cousin, Angel Estes.

Service

A gathering of family and friends will be held at Forest Park East, located at 21620 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX 77598, on Thursday, July 10, 2025, from 4:00pm until 8:00pm dismissal. Deacon Andy of St. Mary’s will lead the recitation of the Rosary at 6:00pm.

A Chapel Service celebrating Del’s life will be held at Forest Park East, located at 21620 Gulf Fwy, Webster, TX 77598, on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 2:00pm followed by the Burial Ceremony where he will be laid to rest.

A reception will be held at the venue from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm on July 11, 2025.