Larry Joseph Guidry

Larry Joseph Guidry Rayne, LA - A Mass of Christian Burial for Major Larry Joseph Guidry, USAF (Retired), age 83, will be celebrated on Thursday, August 30, 2018 at 10:00 AM in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Rayne. Father Kevin Bordelon, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, will serve as celebrant. Interment will military honors provided by American Legion Post 77, Acadiana Veterans Honor Guard, and Keesler Air Force Base Honor Guard will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery No. 2, Rayne. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM, with a rosary being recited at 7:00 PM in Gossen Funeral Home, Rayne. Visitation will continue on Thursday from 8:00 AM until 9:30 AM in the funeral home. Mr. Guidry passed away on Monday, August 27, 2018 in a Lafayette hospital. A native of Rayne, LA, Mr. Guidry was a graduate of Rayne High School. He served for three years in the U.S. Army, after which he returned to Louisiana to complete his Bachelor of Arts Degree at University of Southwestern Louisiana. Mr. Guidry then joined the U.S. Air Force, retiring after twenty-three years at the rank of Major. He served in Vietnam, as well as various bases throughout the United States. While in the Air Force, Mr. Guidry earned his Master of Arts Degree from Webster University. Following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Guidry returned to Rayne, where he worked for many years as a teacher. He retired from teaching at St. Pious X Catholic School in Lafayette, and he was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Mr. Guidry spent his retirement years tirelessly working to improve the plight of veterans. He was an active member of American Legion Post 77, and he chaired the committee to construct the Veterans Memorial Park in Rayne. Mr. Guidry's letters regarding veterans' issues could be found in local and area papers on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day, and he often wrote to his elected officials regarding veterans' issues. Survivors include his sons, Troy Christopher Guidry of Rayne, and Mark Benedict Guidry and wife, Barbara of Lafayette; daughter, Kimberly Ann Guidry and husband, Mark Stephens of San Antonio, TX; brother, Eugene Guidry and wife, Letrice of Rayne; grandchildren, Joshua Todd Guidry and wife, Summer of Dry Prong, Brendon Michael Ferry and spouse, Alton Fowler of San Antonio, and Zachary David Ferry of Ft. Lewis, WA; and great-grandchild, Elliott Camille Guidry of Dry Prong. Preceding Mr. Guidry in death were his parents, Armond Guidry and Lena Caillouet Guidry. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to American Legion Post 77, 213 American Legion Drive, Rayne, LA 70578 Condolences may be expressed online at www.gossenfuneralhome.net. Arrangements have been entrusted to Gossen Funeral Home, Inc. of Rayne, LA, (337) 334-3141. Gossen Funeral Home, Inc.