SLS 23RS-1100 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 73
BY SENATOR FRED MILLS
CONDOLENCES. Expresses full-hearted and fervent condolences upon the death of Wade
Joseph Broussard Jr.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
3 death of Wade Joseph Broussard Jr.
4 WHEREAS, Wade Joseph Broussard Jr., was born on September 13, 1939, in New
5 Iberia, Louisiana, and was one of eight children to the late Wade J. Broussard Sr. and the late
6 Anna Mae Savoy Broussard; and
7 WHEREAS, Mr. Broussard graduated from New Iberia Senior High School and
8 attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, which was known then as Southwestern
9 Louisiana Institute; and
10 WHEREAS, he was a devoted and loving husband for fifty-two years, a father,
11 grandfather, brother, and revered deacon of the Catholic Church; and
12 WHEREAS, Mr. Wade started his career as an associate at Iberia Tractor and Supply,
13 then opened his own business, Wade's Magnavox Sales and Services, which he managed
14 from 1960 to 1985; thereafter he worked in sales with various satellite and wireless phone
15 companies in the Acadiana area; and
16 WHEREAS, he later found a sales position uniquely suited to him, selling various
17 types of insurance such as universal life, cancer, critical illness, long-term care, and
18 comprehensive disability for American General Life Insurance and Catholic Knights of
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1 America; and
2 WHEREAS, as an acolyte for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, he served under
3 the guidance of Father Wayne Richard and Father Leo Schexnayder, who inspired him to
4 pursue his goal of becoming a deacon; and
5 WHEREAS, during reconstruction of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, he served
6 as an acolyte at the temporary location of the church, which was the New Iberia Movie
7 Theater; after each Mass, he operated movie projectors and theater lighting, allowing him
8 to hone his craft in electronics, and ultimately led him to build the first operational crystal
9 radio; and
10 WHEREAS, after marrying Carol Ann Berges on November 5, 1966, Mr. Broussard
11 joined St. Peter's Catholic Church to further emboss his legacy of faith; and
12 WHEREAS, in 1995, he entered the Permanent Diaconate Program with the Catholic
13 Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, embarking on a five-year journey that culminated in his
14 ordination at St. John's Cathedral in the same diocese on February 12, 2000; and
15 WHEREAS, following his ordination, Deacon Broussard dedicated more than
16 twenty-five years of supplementaries to church parishioners, while serving as primary
17 counselor for the Holy Family Cemetery, offering beneficent support to grieving families
18 in Iberia Parish and neighboring areas; and
19 WHEREAS, after being appointed manager of the Holy Family Cemetery in 1998,
20 Deacon Broussard enhanced his knowledge of consecrated cemetery ground operations and
21 trauma counseling, by joining the National Catholic Cemetery Conference; and
22 WHEREAS, Deacon Broussard augmented his academic qualifications with
23 completed studies in cemetery management and theology from the University of Notre
24 Dame, and in furtherance of his curriculum vitae, he graduated in 2006 from John Carroll
25 University, a Jesuit institution in Cleveland, Ohio, conferring degrees in land management,
26 mental health counseling, and the psychology of death and dying; and
27 WHEREAS, after his appointment by Bishop Michael Jarrell with the Diocese of
28 Lafayette in 2010, Deacon Wade served on the newly established Diocesan Cemetery
29 Advisory Board, where he was instrumental in writing a homiletic handbook for Catholic
30 cemeteries and was subsequently chosen as a 2011 delegate to the Catholic Cemetery
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1 Conference, earning the designation of Catholic Cemetery Executive; and
2 WHEREAS, Deacon Wade was the retreat captain for more than twenty-seven years
3 at Our Lady of Oaks Retreat House in Grand Coteau, Louisiana; and
4 WHEREAS, Mr. Broussard was a lifelong member of the Knights of Columbus,
5 served in the Louisiana Army National Guard, and was an amazing cook for his family,
6 friends, and the downtrodden; and
7 WHEREAS, when asked about his favorite accomplishments as deacon, he would
8 often speak of the truest blessing in baptizing nine of his eleven grandchildren, presiding
9 over the marriages of his son Greg to his wife Jennifer and his oldest granddaughter Hannah
10 to her husband Tyler, as well as remaining resolute in following in the footsteps of Jesus
11 Christ by helping the oppressed, consoling the sorrowful, strengthening the weak, and
12 revealing the power of the cross to believers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus by giving countless
13 volunteer hours to The Community of Jesus Crucified in St. Martinville, Louisiana, and the
14 Sisters of the Sacred Heart; and
15 WHEREAS, until the day he entered into eternal peace and rest on April 3, 2023,
16 Deacon Wade shared his love of faith, family, and fellowship in parallel with untold comfort
17 he rendered to those who grieved and the beleaguered; and
18 WHEREAS, left to cherish the untold memories of Deacon Wade J. Broussard Jr. are
19 his children, Glenn Broussard and wife Jill, Monica B. Shoemaker and husband Aaron, and
20 Greg Broussard and wife Jennifer; his grandchildren whom he adored, Hannah B. Primeaux,
21 Victoria Broussard, Zachary Broussard, Kolby Broussard, Grace Shoemaker, Alex
22 Shoemaker, Lauren Broussard, Madelynne Broussard, and Ella Broussard; his sister and
23 brothers, Gloria Broussard, Allen Broussard, Warren Broussard, and Willien Broussard, and
24 a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and communities he served by powerfully living out his
25 faith.
26 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
27 does hereby extend full-hearted and fervent condolences to the family of Deacon Wade
28 Joseph Broussard Jr. on the occasion of his death and does further acknowledge his
29 substantive contributions of faith in the community.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
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1 family of Wade Joseph Broussard Jr.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle B. Johnson.
DIGEST
SR 73 Original 2023 Regular Session Fred Mills
Expresses full-hearted and fervent condolences upon the death of Wade Joseph Broussard
Jr.
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