CROWLEY — DeBlanc Anthony de la Houssaye, an agronomist and U.S. Naval Captain, died peacefully in his sleep from natural causes at his home on Thursday, Feb. 7. He was 89. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Crowley, 224 W. Fifth St. on Monday, Feb. 11, at 10 a.m. followed by internment in Woodlawn Mausoleum in Crowley with full military honors. Father Gary Schexnider of St. Michael’s Catholic Church will preside over the services. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. at the church until the time of service.

A native of Patoutville and a lifelong resident of Crowley, Mr. de la Houssaye was born on June 9, 1918.  He was an honor graduate of Jeanerette High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree in agronomy in 1939 from Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI). While at Southwestern, Mr. de la Houssaye was a member of the Newman Club, Alpha Sigma Kappa Social Fraternity and National Demeter Agricultural Fraternity and Pi Kappa Phi, Southwestern chapter. He went on to earn his Master of Science Degree in plant breeding at Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1941.

He was in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1946. He entered as an apprentice seaman; he proudly served in the European and Pacific Theaters during World War II. Truly a member of the “Greatest Generation,” he was awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars for his meritorious service as Commander of a group of landing craft on the first wave at Omaha Beach on D-Day during the invasion of Normandy. Thereafter he was transferred to the Pacific Theatre where he participated in the final stages of the war against Japan. At the close of World War II he was in command of an attack transport and served for two years during the Korean Conflict. He remained active in the United States Naval Reserve, serving as a commanding officer, from 1949-1952 before retiring as a four stripe Captain. While in the Naval Reserve he served as president of the Naval Reserve Association. Later, he would attend the Naval War College for senior officers at Newport, R.I.

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After returning to civilian life in 1946, he married Frances Delores Scheffert of Luden, N.D., on Feb. 2, 1947, with whom he reared six children. From 1946-1952, he was an assistant in agronomy on the LSU Faculty and worked with the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station at Crowley, and he was involved with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as assistant plant breeder in rice.

From 1952-1957, he managed Brown and Cassidy Warehouse of Crowley before owning and operating Delrico Inc., Rice Capital Sales Inc. and Louisiana Rice Properties Inc. He became a well-known agronomist, long prominent in Southwest Louisiana agricultural services, and a successful businessman in the seed rice business.

During the ’70s he was on the Board of Governors at USL representing agriculture and also served on a special committee of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture to study and promulgate guidelines for the proper use of agricultural pesticides and fertilizer relative to the environment and pollution. He was a licensed nurseryman under the Louisiana Horticultural Commission and a member of the Louisiana Nurseryman Association. He is credited for publishing articles which he has authored included “Independent Assortment”, “Interaction of Factors and Linage in the F-2 of a Rice Cross”, “Chlorophyll Deficiency in Rice”, “Rice Verities for Louisiana” and “Rice Seed Treatment Pays Off.” He was a member of the American Legion, Knights of Columbus and the Nocturnal Adoration Society of St. Michael’s Catholic Church. With a lifelong interest in and love for the outdoors, he was an avid fisherman, hunter and a sophisticated breeder of camellias, roses and citrus fruits. He was a loving and devoted husband, a proud father and cherished friend. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Auguste Joseph de la Houssaye Sr., born in New Iberia, and Clara Marie de la Houssaye, born in St. Martinville. He was also preceded in death by two brothers Auguste Joseph de la Houssaye Jr. and Milton Auguste de la Houssaye and three sisters Marie Therese de la Houssaye Lemoine, Marie de la Houssaye Coco and Madeline Marie de la Houssaye Chatelain.

Mr. de la Houssaye is survived by his loving wife, Frances S. de la Houssaye, of 61 years; two sons William de la Houssaye Sr. and wife, Maxine, of Crowley and Alan de la Houssaye and wife, Cynthia, of Houston; four daughters Jennifer de la Houssaye of Atlanta, Kathyrn Free and husband, David, also of Atlanta, Renee Williford and husband, John, of Conroe, Texas, Nancy Broadhurst and husband, Bill, of Crowley; and 10 grandchildren William de la Houssaye Jr., Adrienne de la Houssaye, Nicholas de la Houssaye, Lyndsey Neel, Collins Free, Kacey Williford, Karen Williford, Caroline de la Houssaye, Allison de la Houssaye and Thomas de la Houssaye. He is also survived by six nephews and nine nieces.

The family would like to thank Dr. M.N. Katira and Dr. Joshua Mammen, Heart of Hospice, and his caregivers Mona Trahan and Anne Johnson who were attending to him until the time of his death.

Contributions in Mr. de la Houssaye’s memory may be sent to Heart of Hospice, 101 Park West Drive, Suite B, Scott, LA 70583. Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home, 301 N. Avenue F in Crowley, 70526.  Phone 337-783-3313. www.geesey-ferguson.com.