James "Shine" Louis Munson Jr

James "Shine" Louis Munson Jr., 50, a native of Ferriday and resident of Houma, died at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 8 a.m. to funeral time Thursday at Chauvin Funeral Home in Houma. Religious service, conducted by Bishop Greg Stock, will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel. He is survived by his parents, James L. Munson Sr. and Shirley Keyes Munson of Houma; one daughter, Windy Shontea Copsey and husband, Joseph, of Denham Springs; his special friend, Lane Reed of Franklin, Tenn.; three sisters, Susan Michelle Munson Hall and husband, Gary Don Hall, of Houma, Leah Munson Broadwater and husband, Preston, of Natchitoches and Laura "Lollie" Munson Gonzales and husband, Jeff, of Bend, Ore.; one sister-in-law, Alice Beverly Munson of Gardener; four grandchildren, Taylor, Brannon, Sarah and Carter Copsey; nieces and nephews, Shannon, Brantley, Kyle and Zachary Hall, Laura Elizabeth and Brandon Rogers, Ariel, Emily and Ryan Spillman Munson, Gabrielle, Madison, Kerrington and Logan Gonzales; and pall bearers, Mike Voisin, Michel Claudet, William Paul Munson, David Sheppard, Jerry Hermann, Doug Roberts, John Wiley Keyes, Preston Broadwater and Gary Donovan Hall. He was preceded in death by one brother, John Raymond Munson; and his grandparents, Betty Howell Keyes and Walter Patton Keyes, Thelma Walls and William Anthony Munson. He was a truck driver for Nixon Trucking and a U.S. Navy veteran. James "Shine" Munson loved nature and the swamps. He loved the history of Terrebonne Parish and enjoyed sharing it with tourists on Munson Swamp Tours. He was a cross-country truck driver who traveled the United States, Canada, Alaska and Mexico. He was a history buff and avid reader. He studied the Civil War and visited every Civil War battlefield. He was a loving son and brother. He loved his nieces and nephews and spent time with each of them. He was a great teacher and one of his goals was to instill the love of reading to each of them. More than anything he loved his daughter, Windy, who was the love of his life and special friend, Lane Reed. He was a parishioner of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.