Obituaries of JULY 1984 Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish, La. NOTE: THE OBITUARIES BELOW MAY NOT BE A COMPLETE LISTING FOR THE MONTH. Submitted by: As listed with each Obit Source: Unless otherwise noted, this file was derived from publications of the Terrebonne Genealogical Society. TGS has granted permission to re-format and publish this data on Genweb Archives. The TGS file was derived from sources as noted with each record Last modified: 28 Aug 2006 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. ********************************************** The date preceding the obituary is the date of the newspaper, not the date of death. ============================================================================ July 12, 1984 Daily Comet, Lafourche Parish, La. Submitted by: Chris Tidwell Rappelet dies at 83 [A.O. Rappelet] A.O. Rappelet, former state senator and representative from south Lafourche, died late Wednesday at a nursing home near Kaplan. He was 83. Rappelet who parlayed a dynamic speaking voice and a colorful political style into three terms in the state Senate and one term as state representative, died late Wednesday at the Vermilion Health Care Center in Nunez. A New Orleans native, Rappelet became involved in politics in 1939 when he gained a reputation for his fiery French speeches made in support of the gubernatorial campaign of Sam "High Hat" Jones. Rappelet was first elected to office in 1948 when be defeated Walter Lanier for a seat in the state Senate representing Lafourcbe, Terrebonne and Assumption parishes. Four years later he made an unsuccessful bid for governor. He regained his Senate seat in 1956 and held it for two terms. In 1968 he returned to the Legislature, this time as a state representative. At that time, he also served as president of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, which he helped found. He was president of the port commission from 1960-1972. In an interview last year, Rappelet pointed to several accomplishments of his political career. Those accomplishments included authoring the first state old age pension, upgrading Nicholls State Junior College to a four-year program and the establishment and development of Port Fourchon. However Rappelet's political career was not always one of accomplishments. In 1972 he was indicted and pleaded guilty to charges of malfeasance in office under a plea bargaining agreement in which three counts of theft, charges of public payroll fraud and contract fraud were dropped. He was fined $500, but not jailed because of his failing health. In his final years, Parkinson's disease, diabetes and heart disease deteriorated the physical condition of the once robust politician. Arrangements for services; being handled by Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan, were incomplete but were expected to be in Houma. He is survived by one son, Charles Rappelet of Houston, Texas, and one daughter, Rene Rappelet of Boutte. ============================================================================ July 12, 1984 Daily Comet, Lafourche Parish, La. Submitted by: Chris Tidwell A.O. Rappelet Funeral services have been scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at Falgout Funeral Home, Raceland, for Albert (A.O.) Rappelet, 81, a native of New Orleans and resident of Galliano, who died Wednesday at 4:10 p.m. in Kaplan, La. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans. Friends may call after 2:30 p.m. until midnight today and from 7 a.m. until funeral time on Saturday. He was the husband of Laura Giambelluca Rappelet, by first marriage, and Velvina Vega Rappelet, by second marriage; father of Charles Gerald and Rene Albert Rappelet, Geraldine Bourgeois and Sharon Rappelet. He is also survived by eight Grandchildren. Arrangements by Falgout Funeral Homes of Raceland.