L. Lane Roy

September 8, 1945 - October 17, 2020

L. Lane Roy died at home on October 17, 2020. Mr. Roy was 75 years old and a lifelong resident of Lafayette, Louisiana. He was born on September 8, 1945, the child of George Melchior Roy and Rita Grace Chaisson, and the grandson of Cyprien Bienvenue “Beans” Roy and Odile Melchior, and of Joseph Mentor Chaisson and Claudia Darby, all of Lafayette, Louisiana. A gifted attorney, Mr. Roy was a devout Catholic and a devoted father. He was born with a native sense of charity and justice which shaped his whole life. Mr. Roy never strayed far from where he was born at the Lafayette Sanitarium at the corner of Versailles Boulevard and St. John Street. He went to high school across the street from there as a young man, he frequently attended mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist down the street. His law office was located in a building at the exact site where he was born. Mr. Roy resided outside of Lafayette only once when attending law school in New Orleans. He received his primary education at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School and his secondary education at Cathedral High School, from where he graduated in 1963, and where he served as center and linebacker of the football team and team captain in his senior year. His gift of leadership was evident at an early age. He had a lifelong passion for automobiles, learning to drive at the age of ten. As a child, he worked in the repair shop of the business of his grandfather Beans Roy, Lafayette Motors—the oldest car dealership in Louisiana, which dates back to 1911. There, he bought and repaired old cars and sold them to earn money with which he funded his legendary adventures and hi-jinks with “his partner in crime”, Edward W. “Boogie” Wynne, Jr.. As regulars of Dave’s Top Hat, the pair become the source of many funny and fondly recalled stories. Mr. Roy graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana where he was Phi Kappa Phi and Tulane Law School on an academic scholarship, receiving his Juris Doctorate in 1969. Upon returning to Lafayette, Mr. Roy began an illustrious legal career of five decades. Most recently Mr. Roy was a shareholder in Brown Sims which has offices in Houston, New Orleans, Gulfport, Miami and New York. Mr. Roy was asked to establish and oversee the legal and support staff in their Lafayette branch. Mr. Roy litigated all types of casualty defense cases and was a longtime member of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. During the course of his career, Mr. Roy tried more than 1,500 cases to conclusion in State District Courts, with more than half of them being jury trials. He argued in Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Courts throughout the state in hundreds of cases, in Louisiana Appellate Courts more than 750 times, and in the Louisiana Supreme Court more than 50 times. He also handled many cases in the Federal Court System and was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Roy was admitted to practice in Louisiana and Texas and was a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, and also served as president of the Lafayette Parish Bar Association. In addition to his casualty defense law practice, Mr. Roy was widely recognized in Louisiana as a leading authority on education law, and served as the Lafayette Parish School Board attorney for decades. Mr. Roy never hesitated championing an unpopular cause or defending a difficult case. He was known to be a courageous, principled, and honorable attorney, resolute and loyal in the representation of his clients. In addition to his regular practice, Mr. Roy devoted untold hours to helping those in need. He sought no recognition for this and few knew of his pro bono work. He provided free counsel to many Catholic organizations, including the Diocese of Lafayette, St. Pius Elementary School, and St. Thomas More High School where he was on the board of directors. He was also a mentor to generations of young attorneys. He was an ardent Ragin’ Cajun fan who enjoyed not only the football games but many other University sports. His intellectual life never ended. He was deeply read in history and Catholic theology. An animal lover, Mr. Roy had many companion animals during his life, most notably his golden retriever Barkley, his miniature pinschers, Lizzie and Larry, Jr., and his rescue dog, Penney. He enjoyed fishing. A caring family man, he was the father of seven children: David Christopher Roy, Lauren Roy Nordquist (Brian Lee Nordquist), Brian Thomas Roy (Jessica Lynn Roy), Camden George Roy (deceased), Bonnie Blue Roy, Adam Joseph Roy and Lane Patrick Roy. He was the grandfather of seven children: David’s girls: Hannah Claire and Mallory Claire Romero; Lauren’s twins: Hudson Collins and Caroline Bray Nordquist; and Brian’s boys: Henry Thomas, Bennett Stanley, and Samuel Lynn Roy. In addition to his children and grandchildren, Mr. Roy is survived by his wife of 22 years, Julie Jewell Roy, his sister Mrs. Robert (Coni) Trahan, his lifelong best friend, Edward “Boogie” Wynne, his dear friend and former law partner M. Candice Hattan, and his faithful feline companion, Skinny. The family will receive visitors from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Friday, October 23, 2020 at Delhomme’s Funeral Home. At 12:30 pm on Saturday October 24, 2020 a Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted by Monsignor Russel J. Harrington at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Burial will follow the Mass in the cemetery behind the church. In lieu of flowers please consider a gift in memory of Mr. Roy to the Neuroscience Innovation Fund. Donations can be made out to Ochsner Clinic Foundation. Memo: Neuroscience Innovation Fund - Lane Roy, and mailed to Department of Philanthropy, Ochsner Health System, 1514 Jefferson Highway, BH 607, New Orleans, LA 70121 or online at ochsner.org/LaneRoy. The family is especially thankful for the superb care provided by Vanessa Landry and her staff, all of whom were tremendously loving and caring people. The delicious meals cooked by Miss Vanessa brought an enthusiastic smile to Lane’s face on a daily basis! The family is also eternally grateful to all of our dedicated and supremely compassionate team members from Hospice of Acadiana, especially nurse Jonathan Bourque, MSW and counselors Heather Prejean, LCSW and Alyssa Barras, MSW, CSW of the Center for Loss and Transition and Taylor Degroat. Pallbearers are Wylie Barrow Jewell, Jr., Dr. Baylor L. Jewell, Edward W. Wynne, Jr., Brian L. Nordquist, Sharon McCarthy, Patrick D. McCarthy, Dr. Pat Cooper and Chris A. Foreman. Honorary Pallbearers are Dr. Maurice duQuesnay, Dr. Frank Bacque, and Odon Bacque. Honorary gift bearers are Bonnie Blue Roy, Ashley Guidry, Dr. Kenneth R. Bouillion and Judge Frances M. Bouillion. At both the Friday visitation and the Saturday funeral, COVID PRECAUTIONS WILL BE STRICTLY OBSERVED. THIS MEANS THAT MASKS MUST BE WORN PROPERLY AT ALL TIMES WITH YOUR NOSE AND MOUTH COVERED BY THE MASK. ADDITIONALLY, PLEASE SPACE YOURSELVES SIX FEET APART AT ALL TIMES. Arrangements have been entrusted to Delhomme Funeral Home in Lafayette, Louisiana.