James Rachal, Sr.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. James Rachal, Sr., will be held at 11 am Saturday, March 7, 2020, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Isle Brevelle with Rev. Charlie Ray serving as celebrant.  Entombment will follow in the St. Augustine Catholic Church mausoleum.  The family will receive friends from 9 am until the time of Mass at St. Augustine Catholic Church.  Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 10:30 am.  Those honored to serve as pallbearers include Lance Beaudion, Joseph Jones, Donnie Rachal, Lester “Bunny” Beaudion, Nolan Jones, Jr., and Nolan Jones, III.

James Rachal, 82 years of age and a resident of Derry, LA, passed away from this life on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at Natchitoches Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Natchitoches.

James was a parishioner of St. Augustine Catholic Church and was a member of the Knights of Peter Claver.  He was a hard worker and throughout his life was a farmer, Natchitoches Parish School Board bus driver and drove a truck for Southern LP Gas.

He was born on May 19, 1937, to S.P. Rachal, Sr. and Delphia Rachal in Derry, LA.  He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, James “Jimmy” Rachal, Jr.; 3 brothers, Joseph “Chester” Metoyer, S.P. Rachal, Jr., and Buford Balthazar; and 2 sisters, Leotha Merritt and Almetter Miller.

Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Teresa Beaudion-Jones and her husband Joey, Karen Buckhanan and her husband Roy, and his sister, Jean Rachal Jackson; grandchildren, Lance Beaudion and wife Katie, Sarah Beaudion, Jevonne Buckhanan, and BreGenna Buckhanan; great-grandchildren, Genevieve, Josephine, Christine,  AJ, Zoelle, and Jayden; as well as a host of nieces and nephews.