Obituary - Irma Catherine Goulas (November 13, 1938 - January 13, 2014)

Irma Catherine Carter Goulas died on January 13, 2014. She was married for 53 years to the love of her life, who preceded her in death in 2010, Thomas Goulas. They are survived by four daughters, Jacquie Terrell and husband, Danny of New Iberia, LA; Cindy Ryan of Lafayette, LA; Cathy Zamadics and husband, Eddie of Manteca, CA; and Becki Granger and husband Bryan of St. Martinville, LA.; 9 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, one brother, John Carter and wife, Velva, of LeCompte, LA, and one sister, Corinne Manning and husband, Marinus, of Lafayette, LA.

Thomas and Catherine worked and lived in many places for over 20 years in the U.S. Army. They lived in Ancon, Panama, Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Texas and on other military posts. Irma Catherine was a faithful, hard-working Army wife, raising their four young girls alone while Thomas served 2 tours in Viet-Nam and was away for months at a time for training.
Irma Catherine loved her family and was a generous, giving mother and grandmother. She enjoyed spending time with the family and hearing the family news. She was very interested in the genealogy of her family. She was a proud member of the Opelousas Chapter of the DAR, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and White’s Chapel Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, John and Josie Morrison Carter, and one grandson, Joshua Franciol.
Funeral services for Irma Catherine Carter Goulas will be Friday, January 17, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Melancon Funeral Home in Bunkie. Burial will be in White’s Chapel Cemetery in Whiteville, LA under the direction of Melancon Funeral Home.
Visitation will be at Melancon Funeral Home in Bunkie on Friday, January 17, 2014 from 10 a.m. until service time. Memorials may be sent to www.woundedwarriorproject.org. www.melanconfunerals.com 

Historic Bayou Rouge Cemetery Vandalized

Two separate incidents of vandalism at Bayou Rouge Cemetery have shocked and outraged the Evergreen community.

Police are investigating leads and a reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible. Evergreen Police Chief Charles Mayeux Jr. said the first incident occurred on the evening of March 31. The second happened two nights later. In each case, the caretaker of the cemetery discovered the damage the next day. Over 40 gravesites were damaged, some severely. Among those damaged were several that were over 100 years old and at least one dating back to late 1800s. “Grave markers were turned over, broken and even stolen,” Mayeux said. “Some of these markers have historical significance because they date back to the mid-to later 1800s.” The police chief said a local monument company has estimated the damage at $15,000. Police have turned up some leads and the Bayou Rouge Cemetery Board has offered a $500 reward in the case. “This is horrible and disrespectful by whoever did this,” Mayeux continued. “This cemetery has survived storms, floods, tornadoes and hurricanes, yet one individual or individuals vandalized and destroyed this cemetery in two nights.” According to findaagrave.com, there are 630 graves in Bayou Rouge Baptist Church Cemetery. The church was founded in 1843. The cemetery contains the graves of former U. S. Rep. Alfred Irion and several of the original pioneer families of the Evergreen area. Stebo Pearce, whose family has been in the Evergreen area for several generations, said he is “appalled at what was done.” He said he has worked in the cemetery for many years and helped plant over 800 azaleas at the cemetery. “A national TV program once said the `prettiest place in America today is the Bayou Rouge Baptist Church Cemetery in Evergreen, La.,’ and it is,” Pearce said. “We will catch them,” he added. “You can be sure of that. They will pay dearly.”

(article published on AvoyellesToday.com, April 13, 2014; images from kinsman Esther Mohon)