Joy C. Cleveland

Joy C. (J.C.) Cleveland, Jr. went to be with our Lord on April 23rd, 2009. He was 75 years old. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, April 27th at 4:00 pm at First Baptist Church of Lafayette. Dr. Steve Horn, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lafayette will conduct the funeral services. Entombment will follow services in the Fountain Memorial Gardens Mausoleum. J.C. was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Betty J. Cleveland, his parents, Winnie Lee Cleveland and Joy C. Cleveland, his sisters Elaine Bowman and Victorine Cowan, and numerous extended family members and friends. He is survived by his daughter, Terry (Cleveland) Hoopman and her husband, David, his daughter, Lana (Cleveland) Badeaux and her husband, Walter Paul, his daughter, Paula (Cleveland) Cox and her husband, John, and his son, John Michael (Mike) Cleveland and his wife, Shontel. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Melissa (Hoopman) Denson and husband, Travis, Derek Hoopman and wife, Caresse, Joshua Cleveland, Jillian Cox, Nicholas Badeaux, Jacob Cleveland, John (Trey) Cox and wife, Lyssa, and their son, Skylar, Colbie Cleveland, Kolby Badeaux, Jacee Badeaux, Kelsey Cleveland, Johnathon Cox, Haleigh Cox and Lilianna Badeaux. His family was his life, and he loved each of them deeply. J.C. had an interesting and eventful life. After graduating from high school in Karnes City, Texas, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Okinawa, Japan as a Sgt. during the Korean War. After his service in the Army, J.C. married his high school sweetheart, Betty, on October 21, 1954. He began college and graduated from Texas A & I University with a bachelor's degree in Petroleum & Natural Gas Engineering J.C. then began his career as an engineer. He worked for Marathon Oil Company for 32 years as an engineering supervisor, moving all over Texas and finally arriving in Lafayette, Louisiana. J.C. enjoyed many successes in his career but he said his greatest accomplishment was raising his four children. When he wasn't working, J.C. loved to hunt, fish, play golf and cards, but most of all he loved being with his family and watching his children and grandchildren grow and learn. They were all a great source of pride in his life. J.C. was a faithful servant of our Lord and trusted his life to Him. He will be missed by all of those who loved him and had the privilege of knowing him. The family requests that visiting hours be observed on Sunday, April 26th from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. and will resume on Monday, April 27th from 8:00 a.m. until Funeral Services at 4:00 p.m. Pallbearers will be J.C.'s Grandsons. The family would like to thank all of the nurses and doctors who cared for J.C. throughout his hospital stay, and Brother Luther Burney, Dr. Steve Horn and the numerous friends who visited and prayed for J.C. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the following organizations in his memory: The American Heart Association, P. O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692, 1-800-242-8721, www.americanheart.org; American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718; Leader Dogs for the Blind, 1039 S. Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48307-3115, 1-888-777-5332, www.leaderdog.org; American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383), www.diabetes.org; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, 120 Wall Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10005, 1-800-533-CURE (2873), www.jdrf.org. Personal condolences may be sent to the Cleveland family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506, is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Joy C. Cleveland

October 30, 1933 - April 23, 2009