Michael Henry McBride

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am Saturday, May 14, 2022, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church for Michael Henry McBride, 80, who passed away Sunday, May 8, 2022, at The Ellington in Rayne. Fr. Mikel Polson, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church will be officiating for the services. The family is requesting visiting hours to be held Friday from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Saturday from 8:00 am to 9:30 am at Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Rosary will be start at 6:00 pm Friday. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Mike was born in Lecompte, La and graduated from St. Michael High School of Crowley in 1959. He then joined the United States Army and served in Stuttgart, Germany and Ft. Polk, La. Upon leaving the service, Mike attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana at Lafayette, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Mr. McBride continued his education by attending the American Institute of Banking and is a graduate of the LSU School of Banking of the South. In addition, he is also a graduate from Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma. He began his banking career in 1969 at Louisiana Bank in Crowley and retired as the regional president of The Evangeline Bank and Trust Company of Crowley, La. in 2015. Ironically, Mike started and ended is banking career at the same building in Crowley, La. Mr. McBride has always been an active member in the local community. In 1973, Mike served as president of the International Rice Festival and severed as a board member for several years. He is a past chairman of the Crowley Chamber of Commerce where he was the 1997-1998 Humanitarian of the Year and Businessperson of the year in 2014. Mike continued his community service by being elected president of the Southwest Louisiana Clearing House Association. Mike served a term as president of the Crowley Kiwanis Club and as well as the Rotary Club of Crowley. Mr. McBride was a member of The George Mollo Assembly of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus and served as a grand knight of the Knights of Columbus 5499. He has served as a commander of the American Legion Acadia Post 15 of Crowley, La. Mike was a lifetime member of the VFW Harold Bossley Post 6720 of Crowley, La. Mike served as a board member for the American Legion Hospital Board of Directors. He was on the first board of directors for the Grand Opera House of the South and Miss Helen's Soup Kitchen. Mike was a passionate member of the St. Michael's Catholic Church where he served on the Finance Committee, a lector, and eucharistic minister. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Audrey Leonards McBride of Crowley; four children, Michael T. McBride and his wife Stephanie of Iota, Timothy J. McBride of Lafayette, Colleen McBride Mickal and her husband Timothy of Lafayette, and Major Kevin G. McBride and his wife Teri of Wylie, TX; one sister, Patricia McBride Gaspard and her husband Persey of Lake Jackson, TX; and one brother, Reed McBride of Lake Jackson, TX; and eight grandchildren, Steffan McBride and his wife Jade, Michaela McBride, Hayden McBride, Garrett Mickal, Catherine Mickal, Amelia Mickal, Specialist Justin McBride, and Kaylie McBride. He is preceded in death by his parents, H.H. "Pete" and Wilda Reed McBride; one sister, Kathleen "Kitty" Valdetero; and his in-laws, William and Rose Leonards. Pallbearers will be Steffan McBride, Hayden McBride, Garrett Mickal, Specialist Justin McBride, Eric Heinen, and Steven Gaspard; honorary pallbearers will be Jay Suire, Reed McBride, Lyle Fogleman, and Larry Trahan. The family would like to thank Hospice of Acadiana and the staff of the Calcutta House for their remarkable care and compassion. In lieu of flowers memorial Masses may be made in his name and/or contributions to St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Crowley: P.O. Box 406 Crowley, LA 70527/ www.stmichaelcrowley.org. Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home of Crowley.