Raymond Joseph "“RJ” “Yak”" Yakupzack

Raymond Joseph "RJ" "Yak" Yakupzack, 89, a native of New Iberia and a resident of Houma since 1949, passed away Friday, December 4, 2015.
Visitation will be from 12 noon until 2 p.m. with services immediately following at Falgout Funeral Home, Houma, LA on Tuesday, December 8, 2015.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years Edwina Milsted Yakupzack, son Paul and wife Janice Songe Yakupzack of Houma and daughter Laura Yakupzack Fletcher of Saginaw, Texas; four grandchildren, Bart R. Yakupzack and wife Kathryn of Lake Charles, LA, Tom Fletcher of Denver, CO, Amy Yakupzack Gayle and husband Conrad of Gonzales, LA and Martha Fletcher Klemm of Fort Worth, TX; five great-grandchildren, Isabelle and Jack Klemm, Fritz Gayle and Virginia and B.R. Yakupzack; nieces, Dana Heil, Renee Milsted, Michelle Olsen, Elise Faike, Diana Lacson and nephew, Ernie Milsted and sister-in-law Carolyn Daigle Milsted
He was born to Paul Yakupzack of Lublin, Poland and Noelie Breaux Yakupzack of New Iberia, on February 27, 1926. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Avery Paul Yakupzack and sister Jenny Marie Yakupzack.
Mr. Yakupzack was educated at St. Peters Catholic High School in New Iberia, graduating in 1942. After high school, he enlisted in the Navy and served as a radio technician second class in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After the war he attended Southwest Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana, Lafayette) and graduated in 1949 as an electrical engineer. He was employed as a logging engineer with Schlumberger Well Services until 1955. He then established Yak's Electronic Service. In 1957 he was employed by the City of Houma as the Power and Water Plant Manager. Subsequently in 1961 he was employed as the General Manager of Waterworks District No 1. Later he was consulting engineer with Gulf South Engineers before he started his second career as a professor at Nicholls State University in the Engineering Technology Department but continued part time for many years with Gulf South Engineers. He received a Master of Business Administration Degree from Nicholls in 1980. He retired from Nicholls in 1998. He was a licensed professional engineer.
Mr. Yakupzack craved technology, owning, studying, updating and operating computers as soon as they were available for home use. He was a voracious reader and read extensively about the Civil War, World Wars I and II and many other subjects. He considered himself a student of the "Big One," World War II and treasured visiting with fellow friends of the Greatest Generation from near and far. He was a long time member of Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne appearing in many plays and serving as a board member for many years. Mr. Yakupzack had many friends, business associates and numerous former students with whom he enjoyed visiting and discussing multitudes of subjects.
"Nevertheless and notwithstanding," as he was fond of saying, he kept going until losing his three year struggle with severe dementia and numerous health issues. He will be greatly missed. His family is thankful for the untiring assistance and kindness of his personal care attendants Ms. Star West and Ms. Linda Bourgeois.
In lieu of flowers the family asks donations be made to Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne's Renovation Fund, P.O. Box 805, Houma, LA, 70361.