William Augustus Marmande

Dr. William Augustus Marmande, Sr. peacefully passed away, Friday March 13, 2015 surrounded by his family and friends. He was 80 years old and a native and resident of Houma, Louisiana. Visitation will be Monday, March 16 from 5-9 at Chauvin's Funeral Home and Tuesday from 8-10 at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral followed by a mass at 10:00 a.m. Burial will take place at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Theriot, Louisiana and a reception following at the St. Eloi Community Center. “Doc”, as he was affectionately known by many, is survived by his wife of 22 years Carol Ballay Marmande, his children William Jr. and wife Sherrell of Bayou DuLarge, Edward L. and Michelle of Bayou DuLarge, Madeleine Deslatte and husband Lonny of Lafayette, Christopher J. and wife Susanne of Mobile, Patrick C. and wife Lauren of Houma, Mitchell J. of Houma; step children Dr. Michelle Simon Peters and husband Dr. Mark Peters of Houma, Paul Simon of Atlanta, Suzanne Simon of Houma; grandchildren Maria, Jean Paul, Jacques, Nicole, Isabelle, Ian, Mary Helene, Emma, William, and Adele Virginia; step grandchildren Benjamin, Michael, Thomas, Caroline, Kenneth, Julia and Annabelle; siblings Marian Doucet, Marvin V. Marmande, Sr., Patricia Trahan, and Burton B. Marmande, Sr. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 24 years Marlene Moory Marmande, daughter Maria Marcelle Marmande, his parents Dr. Marcelin Victor and Marie Antoinette Toups Marmande, sister Virgina Lee “Dinky” Powers, and brothers-in-law Robert E. Lee, Raymond J. Powers, Hosea Doucet, and Ralph Trahan. Dr. Billy was born on January 20, 1935 in Bayou DuLarge. He graduated from LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans in 1960 and was soon drafted into the Army. From 1961-1963, he worked in Virginia at Fort Eustis, where he spent most of his time in the delivery room helping with births. Following, he relocated to Houma and ran a private family practice through 1992. He then began practicing medicine at Chabert Medical Center until his retirement in November of 2014. “Doc” was a man of unshakeable faith and a devout Christian whose love of Christ was known to all who knew him. He was a parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. Dr. Billy was recently quoted saying, “I always tried helping people and helping them with their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was really concerned with people in every which way-mind, body, and spirit. I always looked at the whole person and the spiritual part of them and the physical. I found with prayer and medicine they did better.” We will never truly know the countless lives he has touched. He pursued his relationship with God in the same manner in which he lived, with passion and dedication. His deep love for family, friends, golf, hunting, and fishing, defined him to everyone who knew him. Some of his lifetime accomplishments included practicing family medicine for over 50 years in the community in which he grew up and serving as Chief of Staff of Terrebonne General Medical Center where he was instrumental in the development of plans for the hospital as we know it today and the hospital service district that governs the Center. Dr. Billy was named a Diplomat for the American Board of Family Practice of which he was a member of for over 50 years. He received the Ephraim McDowell Award from the Christian Medical Foundation for excellence in medicine in his field. He donated his time traveling to numerous medical mission trips in Central America and Africa. The family would like to express sincere gratitude to the many physicians, nurses, and medical staff whose overwhelming dedication to Dr. Billy’s care provided great comfort to the family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Catholic Social Services of Houma/Thibodaux.