George A. Bourgeois Sr.,

George A. Bourgeois Sr., 91, a native of Thibodaux and a resident of Houma for 54 years, died Sunday, Oct. 28, 2007. Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. to funeral time Friday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral. Mass will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the church, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery in Thibodaux. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Katherine Use’ Bourgeois; one daughter, Katherine B. Lovell and husband, Clayton; five sons, George A. Bourgeois Jr. and wife, Sherry, Leon F. Bourgeois and wife, Nancy, David J. Bourgeois and wife, JoEllen, Gerard J. Bourgeois and wife, Susan, and Richard J. Bourgeois and wife, Rebecca; one sister, Rita Joyce Sobert of Thibodaux; 14 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leon Bourgeois and Victoria D’ Arensbourg Bourgeois; and three brothers, Roland Bourgeois, Irwin Bourgeois and Elmo Bourgeois. He played football, basketball and baseball at Thibodaux High School. He joined the telephone company as an aid to a telephone lineman in New Orleans in 1937. He held various positions before being promoted to Houma District Construction Supervisor, a position he held for 25 years. He retired in 1976 with almost 40 years of service. During his career and retirement years, he was very active in community and church activities. He served as treasurer of the Toastmasters International District No. 29. For 17 years he was an accredited visitor for Mended Hearts Chapter No. 27 where he was honored with numerous awards for valuable service to heart-surgery patients. He served as president of the Telephone Pioneers of American Life Membership Club. He was also instrumental in organizing the Houma Civitan Club in 1960, serving as charter president. From 1961 to 1965 he was recognized many times for his unselfish and loyal service to this civic organization. He was a parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral where he volunteered as an Extra Ordinary Eucharistic Minister for the Cathedral, Terrebonne General Medical Center and the Home Bound. In 1984, Bishop Warren Boudreaux presented him the Bishop’s Medal for outstanding service to the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. He will be remembered as a loving, caring, generous person with a great love for family, fishing, hunting and the outdoors. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales or to the Vandebilt Catholic High School Endowment Fund.