Former priest, coach

JEANERETTE -- Services for former priest, teacher and coach Ivan Arceneaux will be Tuesday. He died Dec. 9 at age 82.

Arceneaux attended Mt. Carmel and Cathedral Schools, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, St. Joseph Seminary in Covington, Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Gregorian University of Rome, University of Fribourg in Switzerland, Catholic University in Washington, D.C., McNeese State University in Lake Charles, University of Southern California in Los Angeles and CCSU and Delmar College in Corpus Christi.

He was a teacher and coach in Rayne, Lafayette, Jeanerette, and Jennings. He was a chaplain and Personnel Sergeant of the Louisiana National Guard, 256th Brigade, retiring as a Major after 20 years of service. Arceneaux was active in serving the elderly through various positions with the Council on Aging in Houston, Corpus Christi, Leesville and Lafayette.

He was Director of Public Information and Education for Calcasieu Community Action; Directory of Halfway House, State Department of Substance Abuse; Coordinator of RSVP with SMILE Community Action Agency of Lafayette. He was an active member of the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature.

In 2006, he was presented the Rabbi Henry Cohen Humanitarian Award in Galveston. As a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Lafayette from 1952-1973, he served parishes in Rayne, Jeanerette, Jennings and Lafayette. During that time, he was Director of the Bureau of Family Life for many years and was a founder of the St. Jules Credit Union. He was most recently employed by David Funeral Home.

Survivors include his wife Anna.