Charles Fuselier Sr.

1942 - 2016

Charles Auguste Fuselier, Sr.

NEW IBERIA - A Funeral Service will be held at 1:30 pm, on Friday, April 1, 2016, at Episcopal Church of the Epiphany in New Iberia, for Charles Auguste Fuselier, Sr., 73, who passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2016, at St. Mark's Hospital in La Grange, Texas.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Pellerin Funeral Home in St. Martinville from 4 pm until 8 pm on Thursday, with Masonic services being held at 7 pm.

Father Matt Woollett will officiate at the Funeral Service. Inurnment will follow in the Epiphany Columbarium in New Iberia.

Charles Auguste Fuselier, Sr. served as Sheriff for St. Martin Parish from 1980 until his retirement in 2003. During his term in office he oversaw the completion of a new jail, the installation of a parish-wide 911 system, the creation of a sheriff's substation, and the construction of a facility for juveniles. In 1996, he received the National Sheriff of the Year award. He was honored by U.S. Representative Jimmy Hayes in a speech delivered on the floor of Congress. In his address, Hayes noted that Fuselier initiated a local partnership between the sheriff's office, the St. Martinville chief of police, and the American Association of Retired Persons to create the first TRIAD program in St. Martin Parish and the nation.

In 1999, the St. Martin Parish sheriff's office, under Fuselier, became the first in Louisiana to receive the imprint of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

As sheriff he was heavily involved in the promotion of 4-H programs. In 1981, he established the Charles Fuselier Livestock Award, named for his father, and the subsequent Charles Fuselier Scholarship in 2002. In 2008, he was inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame, housed in a museum in Avoyelles Parish.

A few of the awards and commendations presented to him over the years were the: National Sheriff of the Year Ferris E. Lucas awarded by the National Sheriffs' Association; National Sheriff of the year in Louisiana by the Farm Bureau Federation; Good Neighbor Citation by the Woodmen of the Year; Outstanding Service to Community by the Town of Henderson; Sheriff of the Year by the American Legion; National Sheriff of the Year by the Grand Lodge of the State of Louisiana F&AM; Outstanding Citizen of Acadiana by the International Relations of Acadiana; Daughters of the American Revolution Volunteer Community Service Award; and the Louisiana Attorney General's Award - based upon contributions to the community. This prestigious award was presented to Sheriff Fuselier for his work with the youths of St. Martin Parish. In 2003, Fuselier was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.

He was a graduate of University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and was a 4-year football letterman. Charles was a member of the Hugh M. Daspit Masonic Lodge 301, serving as Past Master; past president of the St. Martinville Rotary Club; past president of the Louisiana Sheriffs' Association; a former board member of the National Sheriffs' Association; and he recently retired from the board of directors of Teche Bank, after serving for 30 years.

He is survived by his loving wife, Lyndahl Hobgood Fuselier; his son, Charles A. Fuselier, Jr. and wife, Julie; two daughters, Rebeccah F. Smith and husband, O. C. Smith, III, and Elizabeth A. Fuselier; his grandchildren, Charles Fuselier, III and wife, Patricia, Lauren F. Segura and husband, Tyler, Staci Fuselier and J.J. Louviere, Ollie Smith, IV, Ryan Boudreaux, and Kate Smith; a great grandson, Rhett Fuselier; and his sister, Celeste Andre and husband, Charles.

He was preceded in death by parents, Charles Joseph Fuselier and Irene Stockstill Fuselier; and a special aunt & uncle, Mr. & Mrs. Hugh M. Daspit.

Memorial donations may be made in his name to: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; or to the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, 303 West Main St., New Iberia, LA 70560.

Pellerin Funeral Home of St. Martinville, 112 New Market St., St. Martinville, LA 70582, (337-394-9121) is in charge of arrangements.

To view on-line obituary and sign guestbook, go to www.pellerinfuneralhome.com