OPELOUSAS ~ Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 12, 2023 at a 12:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Word in Evangeline Memorial Gardens Chapel in Carencro for Kenneth Joel Lavergne, Sr., age 90, who passed away Tuesday, August 8, 2023 at the Southwest Louisiana War Veterans Home in Jennings.

Interment will be in Bellevue Memorial Park in Opelousas. Deacon David Menard, will officiate at the services.

Mr. LaVergne was a native of Opelousas and lifelong resident of Sunset. He was a parishioner of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church where he served as a Lecturer. Mr. LaVergne attended the University of Houston from which he received his Doctorate in Pharmaceuticals. After completing this doctorate, he joined the military. He is a proud veteran of the United States Army and served in the 101st Airborne Division “Screaming Eagles” as a medic during the Korean conflict; Mr. LaVergne returned to Louisiana and became the owner/operator of Sunset Pharmacy. He also worked as a relief pharmacist at several local pharmacies throughout the years.

Mr. LaVergne was a thoroughbred breeder and was on the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association Board of Directors in the early decades of the program.

Survivors include his five sons, Kenneth Joel LaVergne, Jr. of Honey Grove, Tx, Clyde LaVergne and his wife, Chanda, of Lewisburg, Brett Duval LaVergne and his wife, Judy, of Youngsville, Thomas Donahue LaVergne and his wife, Lori, of Arnaudville, and Rene’ LaVergne and his wife, Sonya, of Little Rock, AR; his former wife, Willie Nezat LaVergne Fruge; one sister, Libbye Crump; nine grandchildren, Tucker LaVergne and his wife, Paige, Bethany LaVergne, Brett LaVergne and his wife, Cali, Olivia LaVergne, Brun LaVergne and his wife, Tai, Alex LaVergne Doucet and her husband, Grant, Allison LaVergne, Jessica LaVergne and Zachary LaVergne; and five great-grandchildren, Cohen LaVergne, Celia LaVergne, Clyde Andrews LaVergne, Wilson Daniel LaVergne, and Annie LaVergne.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph LaVergne, and the former Louise Sibille; four brothers, L.J. LaVergne, Eugene LaVergne, Carrol LaVergne, and Bernard LaVergne; and three sisters, Irma Quirk, Lillian Barry, and Roslyn Soileau.

A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. Friday in the funeral home led by his son Rene’ LaVergne.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Friday and will continue from 10:00 a.m. until service time on Saturday.

Pallbearers will be Tucker LaVergne, Zachary LaVergne, Brun LaVergne, Noah Fusilier, Cohen LaVergne, and Brett LaVergne.

Melancon Funeral Home, Evangeline Memorial Gardens Chapel, 4117 N. University Ave., Carencro, (337) 896-3232, is in charge of arrangements.