Richard Bonnette, 86, Fifth Ward native

With regards to the COVID19 mandates, attendance will be limited to 10 persons or less per visitation. Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in Calvary Cemetery for Richard "Bobba" Mancel Bonnette, 86, who died on Thursday, April 30, 2020 at his residence in Lafayette. He was a native of Fifth Ward. A drive thru viewing will be held Tuesday, May 5, at Martin & Castille's Downtown location from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm. Guests will be allowed to drive through the side portico of the funeral home, but please remain inside your vehicles. Entombment will be in Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum. Reverend Gary Schexnayder will conduct the graveside services. Richard Mancel Bonnette was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, December 3, 1933 during the Great Depression. As a young boy he developed a love for hunting and fishing that stayed with him until the day he died, a passion he was able to share with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He attended high school at Menard Academy Memorial High School in Alexandria. After high school Richard went to Southwestern Louisiana Institute (currently UL-L) in Lafayette earning his Bachelor of Science in only 3 years. He then earned his Masters of Science in Industrial Arts at University of Southern Mississippi. A devoutly patriotic American, Richard faithfully served in the Louisiana National Guard. Richard began his teaching career in Lake Providence, Louisiana in 1955 where he met the love of his life, Bobbie Ann Robinson. An absolute storybook love story led them to marriage that July at Pas Christian, Mississippi. Richard accepted a job teaching high school in Bogalusa, Louisiana. There he had three other loves of his life join he and Bobbie, as she gave birth to Kim, then Jan, and Toni. It was there that Richard built by his own two hands the home his family would live in for about a decade. Years later Richard got a professorship at his Alma Mater, University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, where he taught Industrial Technology. In order to support his family Richard worked several other jobs, while at the same time coaching his daughter's softball teams to state championships. In his off time from those jobs and extracurricular activities, Richard again built, by hand, with the help of a 16-year-old boy, the house he lived in until he died. This house was filled with joy and holiday celebrations of his family and then an extended family that continued to grow for decades. Amid all his many jobs, he was tasked by the state to craft and author a DWI policy for the state of Louisiana. He traveled the country researching what would work and what would not, and finally develop the Louisiana Traffic Action Program (LATAP), with judge Kaliste Saloom. This program became a model for states nationwide and earned him many awards and much recognition. After spending 39 years as a professor, Richard retired in 1989 and continued to work helping draft and build houses for people while pursuing his passion for hunting and fishing with friends and family. Richard was the Secretary of Oakbourne Homeowners Association and was a friend to nearly everyone in the subdivision, really acting as the unofficial 'mayor' of Oakbourne. He was a strong conservationist as a supporter of wildlife and fisheries. He was deeply devoted to the state of Louisiana consuming every possible bit of information about the state, through books, museums, and speaking with anyone he met in every part of the state, and shared this knowledge intensely and in great detail with anyone who would listen. Richard loved to garden and grow his own vegetables, he was a master carpenter building furniture and worked on various other projects for people. He was a lover of sports, especially ULL athletics, LSU football and the New Orleans Saints. He was an excellent cook, but mostly loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, playing and teaching them everything he knew. He is survived by a sister, Elsie Ducote of Marksville, a sister-in-law, Sue Taylor of Baton Rouge, his daughters, Kim Bonnette Wright and Jan Bonnette-Breaux of Lafayette, and Toni Bonnette-Verdi and her husband Jim Verdi of Flower Mound Texas, six grandchildren Joshua Breaux and his wife Cheli of Broussard, Juliette Breaux Bechtold and her husband Adam of College Station Texas, Noelle Wright Edwards and her husband Jared of Denver Colorado, Natalie Wright of Austin, Texas, Nicolas Verdi of Denver, Mia Verdi of Flower Mound Texas, and five great-grandchildren Jeffrey Breaux, Eden Bechtold, Jack Bechtold, Jude Breaux, and Evangeline Bechtold; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Pallbearers will be Joshua and Jeffrey Breaux, Jim Verdi, Nicolas Verdi, Len Brown, Michael Ducote, Jimmie Hattaway, Jared Edwards, and Adam Bechtold. Honorary Pallbearers will be Chad Bowers, Bob Schoeffler, Jay Pat, and Harry Deal. View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com. Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311.