W. Roy Hebert

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at First Baptist Church 1100 Lee Avenue Lafayette, LA 70501 for W. Roy Hebert, 88, who passed away on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 at 7:34 pm at his residence. Dr. Steve Horn, Pastor of First Baptist Church will conduct the funeral services. Burial will take place in Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery at a later date. Mr. Hebert, a resident of Lafayette, was the son of the late Joseph Fernest Hebert and the former Euzeme Trahan. Roy was born in Sulphur, Louisiana on December 27, 1925 but grew up in Abbeville and had been a resident of Lafayette for more than 60 years. His lifelong passions were radio and baseball. He felt himself fortunate to be able to make a career in radio and be able to listen to his baseball games. There were very few games that he missed. After graduating from Abbeville High School, he enlisted in the Marine Corps, serving in the Pacific Area and was one of the Marines who went into China to rescue prisoners from the Japanese. Upon discharge in 1946, he returned to Lafayette to become a student at Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now University of Louisiana in Lafayette. He began to realize his passion for radio broadcasting when he joined the KSLI Radio Club on campus, where his activities included editing the campus newspaper, THE VERMILION, for which he received honors. He also became a sponsor for one of the ROTC squadrons, did public address announcing for games and track meets, and worked as a “stringer” for United Press of New Orleans. In June, 1953 he was drafted by the Air Force during the Korean conflict. After his discharge in August of the same year, he was offered a job by WARB Radio in Covington, where he met his “child bride” as he called her, Juanita Jenkins. Roy had worked at radio stations around Louisiana - WIBR and WAFB in Baton Rouge, KPEL in Lafayette, KALB in Alexandria - but felt that he was ready to work on his Master’s degree at the University of Houston. Shortly after their marriage in 1954, they moved to Houston. Offers of work replaced schooling and he joined KTHT Radio, then later became part of the KTRH broadcasting family. Along with doing the news, sports, and weather, he was given the job of attracting listeners during the 5:00 drive time. This was organized as interviews with visiting celebrities, sports figures, politicians and whoever happened to be in town, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Roy Harris, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Demaret and Rin Tin Tin, who barked on command. At the time, KTRH was not broadcasting football games, and Roy and Dan Rather were instrumental in convincing the bosses to air the University of Houston games. But Lafayette was home and after a few years in Houston the family, which now included daughter Sharon, made the move to Lafayette where he joined KPEL Radio. They also became members of First Baptist Church where Roy worked in the Nursery. Roy was still enamored of radio but not to the exclusion of other opportunities. After all, he could still listen to radio. American General Life Insurance became his opportunity for change and he immediately became active in the insurance business. In the Acadiana Association of Life Underwriters, among other offices, he served as Board Member, Secretary, President, and took on the work of unofficial Public Relations for the Association, writing articles and making appearances on their behalf. On the State level he became Managing Editor of the Louisiana Association of Life Underwriters publication, THE OUTLOOK. Roy worked to achieve his Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American Society of Life Underwriters and served a three year term on the Board of Directors of QUERY, a publication for the American Society. He was featured in their national advertising program and was appointed Chairman of the QUERY Board in 1978. Roy was a Rotarian for 30 years, with a perfect attendance record. He was Secretary-Treasurer for Rotary District 620 and served as President of the Pinhook Rotary Club. He attended meetings all around the world, from Asia to Europe. He served on the Board of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and represented the Chamber when called upon to present their programs to the service organizations. Roy, Buddy Guivorich, Jerry Blankenship, Paul Brown, Ernest Harmon, Steve Robbins, Larry Whitmeyer, and others, were instrumental in bringing Little League Baseball to Lafayette. The family would like to thank all of those who have been praying for us and the many care givers who have been such a blessing. Our most special thanks go to Ella Gabriel for her loving, personal care for Roy in his last illness. He is survived by his loving wife of sixty years Juanita "Nita" Hebert, his children, Sharon Lynne Hebert Gondron, and Terrell Stephen Hebert, his grandson, Jamie Nicholas Gondron his wife Tara, his great grandchildren, River Kathryn Gondron, Daisy Claire Gondron and Mica James Gondron. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Adam Whitney Hebert, Otis Joseph Hebert and Romain "Blackie" Hebert. The family requests that visiting hours be observed at First Baptist Church 1100 Lee Avenue Lafayette, LA 70501 on Saturday, September 20, 2014 from 9:00 am until time of service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the ALL IN building program at First Baptist Church or to the charity of your choice. Personal condolences may be sent to the Hebert family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

W. Roy Hebert

December 27, 1925 - September 16, 2014