Deaths - April 15

MATTHEWS THOMAS

July 24, 1952 - April 9, 2008

Funeral services will be held for Matthews Thomas, 55, of Ville Platte, at Ninth Baptist Church in Ville Platte at 4 p.m., Monday, April 14. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Mr. Thomas died Wednesday, April 9, 2008. He was a retired educator who served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal and lastly as a Title One supervisor with the Evangeline Parish School Board. He worked at Ville Platte High School for the majority of his career. He was a well-known and well-respected member of the community. He was a positive force in the lives of his students and his family, and he always gave the needs of others priority over his own needs.

Survivors include his wife, Eurydice M. Thomas of Ville Platte; one son, Damian J. Thomas and his wife, Kiesha, of Natchez; one daughter, Betthany M. Thomas of Ville Platte; one sister, Sandra Thomas LaFleur and her husband, John, of Baton Rouge; one brother, Samuel Thomas and his wife, Ethel Mae, of Port Arthur, Texas; one brother-in-law, Eugene T. Martin Jr. and his wife, Margaret, of Minden; two sisters-in-law, Joetta Brown and her husband, Gary, and Marian Simien and her husband, Clement, all of Opelousas; two grandchildren, Joshua Thomas of Natchez and Zaharias Soileau of Lake Charles; his godmother, Violet Thomas of Mamou; his aunts, Lillian Thomas and Ida Hanchett, both of Port Arthur, Texas, and Celestine Joseph of Ville Platte; his nephews, Juan, Shawn, John-Pierre, Samuel James Jr., Eugene III, Michael and Christopher; and a host of other loving relatives, friends and co-workers.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Pierre Thomas Jr. and Vinice Celestine Thomas.

Willliams Funeral Home of Ville Platte will be in charge of arrangements.

MARY LIZZIE GRANGER GUILLORY

December 20, 1914 - April 10, 2008

MAMOU - Funeral services were held for Mary Lizzie Granger Guillory, 93, of Mamou, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Mamou at 2 p.m., Friday, April 11. Burial followed in the Ardoin’s Cemetery.

Ardoin’s Funeral Home of Mamou was in charge of arrangements.