Former DA Pucheu dies at age of 88

By: RAYMOND PARTSCH III
Managing Editor

In the days since his death, J. William “Bill” Pucheu is being remembered as a personable man, who was respected and known for his integrity.
The longtime fixture in the Evangeline Parish District Attorney’s Office died Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in Ville Platte. Pucheu was buried during a service at Evangeline Memorial Park Cemetery on Wednesday.
His friend and successor in the DA’s office Brent Coreil spoke highly of Pucheu.
“In my opinion Bill Pucheu was one of the finest district attorneys that ever lived,” Coreil said. “He was the President of the Louisiana District Attorney’s Association. He had the respect of every DA in the state of Louisiana. He was known and respected for being a stern, honest and intelligent prosecutor.”
Like many young men of his generation, Pucheu joined the war effort during World War II enlisting in the United State Marine Corps at the age of 17. He would later graduate from Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now known as University of Louisiana-Lafayette) and then later attended LSU Law School.
The lifelong Ville Platte resident practiced law in his hometown before serving two terms as Evangeline Parish’s Assistant District Attorney. Pucheu would then go on to serve four teams as District Attorney before retiring in 1996.
In addition to his longtime law career, Pucheu would also serve as a partial owner of the Ville Platte Gazette between 1969 and 1987.
“I worked for Mr. Pucheu for nine years until the Gazette was sold to the present owner,” Gazette publisher David Ortego said. “Mr. Pucheu, Floyd Soileau and Ivan Ortego owned the paper at the time. He was somewhat of a silent partner who had limited operations input. We met about twice a year to discuss general business status and outlook. I remember Bill, as he was generally referred to, as always having a story-joke to lighten any and all situations. Everything reminded him of something that had happened in the past. He had the gift of “story-gab” endless and on going.”
Later in his life, Pucheu would develop a passion for golf and spent many afternoons playing the game with former colleagues and close friends.
“Bill was very a personable person,” Coreil said. “He had a lot of friends and enjoyed having a good time. He loved socializing with his cohorts in the DA association and friends at the golf course. Golf was his passion. He spent many, many days at the course just enjoying the game of golf.”
Pucheu leaves behind his wife Gay S. Pucheu of Ville Platte, sons Williams Douglas Pucheu of Ville Platte, Guy Alfred Pucheu of Ville Platte, Anthony Pucheu of Moreauville, daughters Paula Pucheu Guillory of Lafayette and Pamela Pucheu Reynoir of New Orleans. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Coreil said his old friend will be missed.
“He was a man of strong conviction, a moral and religious man,” Coreil said. “When he made a decision to prosecute somebody he truly believed in what he was doing. He is going to be missed.”