A Cajun war hero died

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Calvin Raymond 'Cal' Bourgeois passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 20, 2018. He was born August 31, 1923, in Algiers, La. and lived a full life; to quote him, 'I did it my way!' which usually included food, friends, family, Scotch, and poker. Cal was a WWII Army veteran who served as a heavy machine gunner in the 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre of operations. Military honors include: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star, Purple Heart with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Ribbon and 4 Overseas Service Bars.

While in the Pacific, he played trumpet in the unit's band and was a member of the All-America 2-hand touch football team. A graduate of Southwestern Louisiana Institute (Univ. of Louisiana at Lafayette), Cal went on to earn a Master's degree in music from Columbia University in NY; he was the first in his family to achieve advanced education. Playing music was his first love. He started playing in grade school and continued throughout his life. He applied his love of music to teaching others. He was especially proud of his 'best-in-state' Morgan City High Marching bands and later of playing with and mentoring students in the West Arkansas Community College Jazz Band. Later in life he returned to his passion and thoroughly enjoyed teaching music to the band he founded at Lavaca High and the boys at Subiaco Academy near Ft. Smith, AR. Cal in his heart was always an educator: a band director, a school principal and while working for World Book Encyclopedia (Field Enterprises), a gifted mentor. For over

15 years, he was active in the community in Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana serving as Rotary president, E. St. Mary Parish Principals' Association founder/president, St. Mary Parish National Teachers Credit Union founder/president, and the first principal of Maurice D. Shannon Elementary School. During summers Cal worked as a salesman for World Book and later as a Division Manager with twice top sales team in the world!

Cal is survived by his son Karl and wife Mary.... Visitation with family and friends, Wednesday, January 24, 2018, 11:00 am until memorial service at 1:00 pm. Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70815. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105).

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