Ray Dill

Ray Francis Dill, 89, a native and resident of Houma, died at 2:05 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, from injuries sustained in a fall.Visitation will be 1-3 p.m. Monday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral in Houma. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 3 p.m. Monday at the Cathedral, with burial in St. Francis de Sales Cemetery II. He is survived by his spouse, Marjorie Henry Dill, of Houma; daughters, Susan Dill Laperouse and husband, Jude, of Houma, Christine Dill Forrest and husband, Miles, of Houma, and Nancy Dill Carroll, of San Diego, California; daughter-in-law, Roxanne Keams Dill, of Baton Rouge; sisters, Janelee Dill Guidry, of Houma, Shirley Dill Chauvin and husband, Tillman, of Houma, Barbara Dill Babin, of Baton Rouge; grandchildren, Edward "Ted" Jude Laperouse II and wife, Jennifer, of Baton Rouge, Christian Miles Forrest and wife, Kelly, of Birmingham Alabama, Rae Katherine Forrest Baker and husband, J. Payne Baker Jr., of Mountain Brook, Alabama, Katherine "Katy" Dill Edgmon and husband, Blake, of Dublin Ireland, and Dr. James Joseph Dill II, of Tucson, Arizona; and great-grandchildren, Lauren Elizabeth Laperouse, Alex Edward Laperouse, Ethan Miles Forrest, Logan Christopher Arlint, Zoe Abigail Forrest, Zachary Austin Forrest, Eden Edgmon, and Katherine Payne Baker. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Joseph Dill and Emma Pitre Dill; son, Stephen James Dill; brother, James H. Dill; and infant sister, Rita Dill. Ray was a 47 year veteran of The Courier, starting in the circulation department delivering newspapers and working his way to the top positions of Editor and Publisher. Working and learning in every department at the newspaper over the course of his career, he was the consummate hometown newspaperman. He took the newspaper from a biweekly publication to a six-day daily newspaper in 1970. Under his leadership and guidance, the newspaper was universally recognized as one of the best publications in Louisiana, receiving numerous journalistic awards. Several of his proudest accomplishments were the 1972 Terrebonne Sesquicentennial edition, the 1978 100th Anniversary edition of The Courier and Bayou Gourmet Cookbook.Outside of The Courier, which was his passion, his greatest interest was the Southdown Museum and the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society, where he served as its Vice President during the time of the museum's creation.He was a past member of the board of directors for the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society, the Bayouland YMCA, the Freedom of Information Board at Nicholls State University, the Louisiana Press Association Board of Directors and the Advisory Board for Fletcher Community College and its predecessor institutions. In addition, he was a past President of the Louisiana Press Association.Other honors he received include the St. Louis Award from St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, where he was a parishioner, the Archbishop Phillip Hannan Award and the Louisiana Press Association's President's Award. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and a member of the American Legion. In addition, he was a Fourth Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus.He was a loving husband, devoted father and affectionate grandfather who taught by example, exhibited great patience and was a teacher of life. The family would like to thank the two nurses and the staff and security personnel who came to his aid at the Allen J. Ellender Federal Building for their kind assistance at the scene of his fall and the staff at Terrebonne General Medical Center for their care, concern and kindness. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations for Southdown Museum be made through the Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society.