George Arceneaux, Jr. (1928-1993) — of Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., May 17, 1928. Son of George Arceneaux (1895-1986) and Louise (Austin) Arceneaux (1900-1998). Lawyer; U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1979-93; died in office 1993. Died in Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La., April 6, 1993
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Services set for judge
NYT Regional Newspapers

HOUMA — U.S. District Court Judge George Arceneaux Jr. of Houma, who led the effort to bring a federal court to Houma, died Tuesday from complications due to lung disease. He was 64.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Friday at Chauvin Fu¬neral Home in Houma.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Magnolia Cemetery.

Arceneaux was sworn in as a judge of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans on Nov. 4, 1979. He was nominated for the judgeship by President Jimmy Carter in June of that year. U.S. Sens. Russell Long and J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana recommended him for the post.

Arceneaux was the first Acadian judge named to the federal court since the 1920s. A native of New Orleans, Arceneaux was reared and educated in Terrebonne
Parish, where his father headed the U.S. Department of Agriculture Sugar Cane Field Laboratory on Bayou Black.

He graduated from Terrebonne High School in 1945 as valedictorian. He graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1949. He received his law degree from the Washington College of Law of American University in Washington, D.C., in 1957. Prior to his graduation from LSU,
Arceneaux worked summers and holidays as an announcer, news reporter and newscaster at KCIL radio in Houma.

After graduating, Arceneaux was employed as state editor of the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. He also worked briefly as a general assignment reporter for the Times Picayune in New Orleans before entering the U.S. Army as an intelligence analyst with the 338th Military Intelligence Service Company at Fort Meade, Md.

In 1952, he was hired as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Allen J. Ellender, D-Houma, in Washington, D.C. Through the influence of Ellender and his administrative assistant Frank Wurzlow Jr., Arceneaux entered night law school at American University.

Ellender named Arceneaux as his administrative assistant in late 1957, upon the resignation of Wurzlow.

In 1960, Arceneaux returned to Houma to enter the practice of law with the late Claude B. Duval. In 1961, they organized the firm of Duval and Arceneaux. They
remained partners until 1979, when Arceneaux withdrew from the firm after his appointment to the federal bench.

"He was a brilliant individual, an extremely smart attorney," said Jamie Funderburk of Duval, Funderburk Sundberry and Lovell.

"It was an honor practicing law with him," Funderburk said. "He was one of those gentlemen who rose to the top of his profession and deserved to. We will miss him."

Arceneaux had worked since 1965 to bring a federal court to Houma, and it was his dream to be the first judge to preside there, Funderburk said. The court is now under construction.

Houma District Court Judge Jimmy Gaidry said Arceneaux's death is a tragedy. Arceneaux was a devoted family man and one of the most thoughtful people Gaidry ever worked with, he said. Arceneaux strived always to be the best he could be, no matter what the task — lawyer, judge, family man or civic leader.

Arceneaux is survived by his wife, Mary Martin Arceneaux; his mother, Louise Austin Arceneaux of Houma; two sons, George Arceneaux III of Lafayette and Robert M. Arceneaux of Houma; a daughter, Mary Arceneaux of Baton Rouge; a
brother, Tommie E. Arceneaux; and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. George Arceneaux Sr.

He served as secretary-treasurer, vice president and president of the Terrebonne Parish Bar Association.

He served as president of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Houma-Terrebonne Regional Planning Commission, city attorney for the City of
Houma, and special counsel to Gov. John McKeithen.

In 1979, he received the Houma Daily Courier's Most Useful Citizen Award.

He was a member of the Rotary Club of Houma for more than 30 years and served as its president. In Rotary International, he served as district governor, director, vice president and 1987 International Assembly Moderator.

Thanks to Christine "Chris" Tidwell for the Obit.

George Arceneaux, Jr. (1928-1993) — of Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La. Born in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, La., May 17, 1928. Son of George Arceneaux (1895-1986) and Louise (Austin) Arceneaux (1900-1998). Lawyer; U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1979-93; died in office 1993. Died in Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La., April 6, 1993
===========================

Services set for judge
NYT Regional Newspapers

HOUMA — U.S. District Court Judge George Arceneaux Jr. of Houma, who led the effort to bring a federal court to Houma, died Tuesday from complications due to lung disease. He was 64.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today and from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Friday at Chauvin Fu¬neral Home in Houma.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow in Magnolia Cemetery.

Arceneaux was sworn in as a judge of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans on Nov. 4, 1979. He was nominated for the judgeship by President Jimmy Carter in June of that year. U.S. Sens. Russell Long and J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana recommended him for the post.

Arceneaux was the first Acadian judge named to the federal court since the 1920s. A native of New Orleans, Arceneaux was reared and educated in Terrebonne
Parish, where his father headed the U.S. Department of Agriculture Sugar Cane Field Laboratory on Bayou Black.

He graduated from Terrebonne High School in 1945 as valedictorian. He graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1949. He received his law degree from the Washington College of Law of American University in Washington, D.C., in 1957. Prior to his graduation from LSU,
Arceneaux worked summers and holidays as an announcer, news reporter and newscaster at KCIL radio in Houma.

After graduating, Arceneaux was employed as state editor of the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. He also worked briefly as a general assignment reporter for the Times Picayune in New Orleans before entering the U.S. Army as an intelligence analyst with the 338th Military Intelligence Service Company at Fort Meade, Md.

In 1952, he was hired as a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Allen J. Ellender, D-Houma, in Washington, D.C. Through the influence of Ellender and his administrative assistant Frank Wurzlow Jr., Arceneaux entered night law school at American University.

Ellender named Arceneaux as his administrative assistant in late 1957, upon the resignation of Wurzlow.

In 1960, Arceneaux returned to Houma to enter the practice of law with the late Claude B. Duval. In 1961, they organized the firm of Duval and Arceneaux. They
remained partners until 1979, when Arceneaux withdrew from the firm after his appointment to the federal bench.

"He was a brilliant individual, an extremely smart attorney," said Jamie Funderburk of Duval, Funderburk Sundberry and Lovell.

"It was an honor practicing law with him," Funderburk said. "He was one of those gentlemen who rose to the top of his profession and deserved to. We will miss him."

Arceneaux had worked since 1965 to bring a federal court to Houma, and it was his dream to be the first judge to preside there, Funderburk said. The court is now under construction.

Houma District Court Judge Jimmy Gaidry said Arceneaux's death is a tragedy. Arceneaux was a devoted family man and one of the most thoughtful people Gaidry ever worked with, he said. Arceneaux strived always to be the best he could be, no matter what the task — lawyer, judge, family man or civic leader.

Arceneaux is survived by his wife, Mary Martin Arceneaux; his mother, Louise Austin Arceneaux of Houma; two sons, George Arceneaux III of Lafayette and Robert M. Arceneaux of Houma; a daughter, Mary Arceneaux of Baton Rouge; a
brother, Tommie E. Arceneaux; and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. George Arceneaux Sr.

He served as secretary-treasurer, vice president and president of the Terrebonne Parish Bar Association.

He served as president of the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Houma-Terrebonne Regional Planning Commission, city attorney for the City of
Houma, and special counsel to Gov. John McKeithen.

In 1979, he received the Houma Daily Courier's Most Useful Citizen Award.

He was a member of the Rotary Club of Houma for more than 30 years and served as its president. In Rotary International, he served as district governor, director, vice president and 1987 International Assembly Moderator.

Thanks to Christine "Chris" Tidwell for the Obit.