BIENVENU, ROLAND GILBERT, SR (VETERAN WWII) - St. Martin County, Louisiana | ROLAND GILBERT, SR (VETERAN WWII) BIENVENU - Louisiana Gravestone Photos

Roland Gilbert, Sr (Veteran WWII) BIENVENU

Saint Michael Catholic Cemetery
St. Martin County,
Louisiana

CAPTAIN US Navy
World War II
September 28, 1917 - May 14, 2011

LAFAYETTE - Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at a 10:30 Mass of Christian Burial in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille for Captain Roland G Bienvenu, Sr who passed away at home surrounded by family Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 9:15 PM at the age of 93. Interment will be in St Michael Cemetery in St Martinville.

Reverend Gilbert J Dutel, Pastor of St Edmond Catholic Church, will be the Celebrant of the funeral Mass and will conduct the funeral services. Lectors will be Adele "Dee" Watt and Anne Broussard. Giftbearers will be Roland Bienvenu, Jr, Jeanne Ballinger and Valerie Broussard. Musical selections will be "As We Sail to Heaven's Shore," "Amazing Grace," "J'irai La Voir Un Jour," and "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

Born September 28, 1917 in Lafayette, Louisiana, Roland was appointed to the Naval Academy from that state and graduated with the Class of 1941. Upon graduation he reported to the Destroyer Jouett as a "deck" line ensign. Roland spent World War II on the destroyers Jouett, Young and Charles P Cecil in the Atlantic, Caribbean, Aleutians and Philippines. In 1946, he commanded the high-speed transports Laning and Burdo. After Intelligence School, he had attache duty in Greece and Lebanon (1948-1949) and Pentagon duty, first in the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), then in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. From 1953-1955, he commanded the Hyman (DD732), operating in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean. After another tour in the Pentagon (ONI), he took command of LANSHIPRON 5 in Okinawa. Then it was back to the Pentagon for duty in the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Roland's last duty was Naval Attache to Canada from 1962-1965.

Captain Bienvenu retired in 1965, returned to Louisiana and began a second career as Director of Housing at the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette. After 12 years of University life, he took his second retirement. Roland spent his retirement years traveling, boating, fishing, gardening and participating in Church and Rotary Club activities. He was a founding member of St Edmond Roman Catholic Church, where he was an usher for 17 years and President of the ushers' group in 1992-1993. Roland was a member of the Rotary Club of Lafayette since 1967 and had perfect attendance for 42 years. He was President from 1973 to 1974 and was named Rotarian of the Year for 1975-1976. He loved Rotary and especially Rotary Point, which he and his committee developed over the years.

Roland was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW Post 9822) since 1999. He participated in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program; he was a member of the Council 1994-1997 and served as a volunteer worker at City Hall from 1997-2000.

Captain Bienvenu is survived by four children, Dr Anne Broussard of Lafayette, Adele (Dee) Watt of Naples, Florida, Roland G Bienvenu, Jr of Houston and Lucie Bienvenu of Lafayette; his grandchildren, Stephanie Watt Garcia of Walnut Creek, California, Jeanne Broussard Ballinger of Austin, Texas and Valerie Broussard of Austin, Texas and four great-grandchildren, Julie and Bradley Garcia and Calvin and Camille Ballinger. His wife of 61 years, Verne Maraist Bienvenu, passed away December 13, 2004.

A Rosary will be recited Monday, May 16, 2011 at 6:30 PM in Martin & Castille's DOWNTOWN location.

The family requests that visitation be observed on Monday from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM and will continue on Tuesday from 8:00 AM until time of services.

Contributed on 4/24/22 by debbraszymanski
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Record #: 360922

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Additional BIENVENU Surnames in SAINT MICHAEL CATHOLIC Cemetery

Additional BIENVENU Surnames in ST. MARTIN County

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Submitted: 4/24/22 • Approved: 4/25/22 • Last Updated: 7/1/23 • R360922-G0-S3

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