Antoine Frem Boustany

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00am on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at the Cathedral at St. John the Evangelist for Mr. Antoine Frem Boustany, Sr., 95, who passed away peacefully surrounded by children and grandchildren on November 30, 2017 at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. Rev. Chester Arceneaux, Pastor of the Cathedral at St. John the Evangelist, will be Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the funeral service. Burial will take place in Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Cemetery. Mr. Antoine, a resident of Lafayette, was the son of the late Alfred Boustany and the former Florida Saloom. Antoine Boustany, Sr.’s life can best be described as a dedication to duty and family. His family originally came from a little country called Lebanon. His father left that country at a young age, bound for the promise of a better life in America. Mr. Boustany grew up on St. John Street in Lafayette, down the street from the Boustany’s Department Store, a building that stands today at the corner of St. John Street and Simcoe Street. He always wanted to be a builder or architect, but dropped out of college, after Pearl Harbor, because he heeded what he always felt was his duty to his country. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Force, and served during World War II in Southeast Asia, including Burma and India. When he returned from war, he decided to take a cross-country car trip to California with two of his cousins. While in California, he met and later married a beautiful, brilliant woman, Anne Morad, whose mother had come to this country on the same ship as his father. Anne Morad had to drop out of school to work in a sewing factory, after her father died. Not long after she and Mr. Boustany met, Anne Morad became Anne Morad Boustany of Lafayette, Louisiana, and the two never left each other’s side until the day they died. Although Antoine Boustany, Sr. wanted to be a builder or architect, he felt a duty to his father, and joined him at Boustany’s Department Store. He worked side-by-side with his father every day, six days a week, and when his father died he later worked side-by-side with his own son. Mr. Boustany reluctantly retired at the age of 70, and until the day he died he spoke about how he retired too soon. He died peacefully surrounded by the family he loved so much, and to whom he dedicated his life. He is survived by his children, Janelle Boustany, Margie Boustany, Laura Boustany Blossom and husband Tom, Alfred Boustany, II and wife Patricia, Andy Boustany and his wife Jackie; grandchildren, Mark Davis and wife Teri, Julia Davis Schooler and husband Jay, Stephen Ratcliff and wife Summer, Christie Ratcliff Short and husband James, Marcie Ratcliff Thames and husband Damon, Ryan Blossom, and Jeffrey Blossom, Alfred Boustany, III and wife Roya, Ava Boustany Venable and husband Tyler, Meredith Boustany Manafi and husband Jordan, Christopher Boustany, Bryan Boustany; great grandchildren, Zoe and Kya Davis, Wesley and Joshua Schooler, Fischer Ratcliff, Hunter, Garrett, and Tanner Short, Micah, Claire, and Paul Thames, and Alfred "Ace" Boustany, IV; and also by his sister, Miriam Boustany Buttross. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne Morad Boustany; infant grandchildren, Chad and Thomas Ratcliff; and by his parents. He is also preceded in death by his siblings, Dr. Michael Boustany Sr., Yvonne Boustany Buttross, Inez Boustany Karre', and Dr. Charles Boustany, Sr. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home - Bertrand on Monday, December 4, 2017 from 3:00PM to 9:00PM. A Rosary will be recited on Monday evening at 6:00pm in the funeral home. Visiting hours will continue on Tuesday from 8:00AM until the time of service. Pallbearers will be Alfred Boustany, III, Ryan Blossom, Jeffrey Blossom, Bryan Boustany, Tyler Venable, Jordan Manafi, James Short and Damon Thames. Honorary Pallbearers will be Kaliste Saloom, Sr., Miriam Boustany Buttross, and Ann Antoine Boustany. The family would like to thank his caregivers, Agnes Kilchrist, Laura Valmont, Lou Allen, Bridget Simon, Shantel Charles for their care and compassion. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mr. Boustany's honor to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148, www.stjude.org. (Antoine Boustany, Sr. Memorial ID Number: 11127872) Personal condolences may be sent to the Boustany family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Antoine Frem Boustany

October 4, 1922 - November 30, 2017