Posted by
GunsInTexas on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 10:50:08 AM
My Daddy, Dalton Joseph Brouillette, died last Thursday, May 22, 2008 and was buried Sunday, May 26, 2008. Below is the eulogy I gave at the funeral and lastly is the obituary from the Texarkana Gazette.
Eulogy for Dalton Joseph Brouillette:
My brothers and sister and I were extraordinarily lucky to grow up with my daddy and momma as parents. Momma and Daddy doled out a balance of love and discipline. Momma usually doled hers out with a switch on her calves, but Daddy felt there was a more direct connection running from our butts to our brains! Looking back, I don't think either was ever inappropriately harsh. I guess it worked because none of us ever robbed a bank or sold drugs. And we all loved our Daddy.
I was surprised a few years ago to find out that some of my buddies were kind of afraid of my Daddy. He had a penetrating gaze and a voice of command, and when he said "Stop", well you better by God, stop!
But my Daddy was never mean to anyone in my whole life. He did not demand respect...he commanded respect. I believe my Daddy was respected and admired by just about everyone that knew him: his family, his friends, the people he worked with and people he did business with. My brother reminded me that even 20 years after he had retired, folks would tell my brother that my Daddy was the best boss they ever had.
Daddy was unfailingly polite to folks, always saying "Yes, Sir" or "No, Ma'am" to clerks or waitresses. My Daddy was a gentleman.
They say you become your parents as you grow up. I flatter myself believing I have learned to emulate my Daddy in some few respects. But the way he cooks and bakes, I think my brother Gary has become Momma in some ways!
Daddy was very proud of his kids. If he was alive today, he would grudgingly admit that I WAS the favorite child. It's understandable, and honestly I accept the petty jealousies of the other kids!
Daddy loved to fish and hunt. When I was a kid we would often get out to the lake and wet a hook. As the years passed he concentrated more on hunting. he loved to squirrel hunt. be sure and ask my sister Denise which part of the squirrel she liked the best! It gave him great joy to get out early and still-hunt the woods at D & Z [Day and Zimmerman, operating contractors at Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant where Daddy worked and retired] for deer. Those are some of my favorite memories of Daddy.
What made Daddy happiest was that his kids are successful:
One, (the favorite) is an engineer.
Denise runs a live theater in Austin.
Gary is an RN here in Texarkana (the call him an angel!)
Brian is an accountant in the Federal Prison System, but he is out today and here for this service!
Daddy's health had gradually declined over the last 10 years or so. I thank Ruby [his wife] and her family for their love and efforts on his behalf.
Daddy told me a couple of weeks ago that his health was never going to improve and life was just not that good anymore. This is hard but it is not a tragedy. Daddy lived a long, full life and I know he felt it was time to go.
I heard an explanation recently of why God lets hard things happen: "Tragedy brings people closer to God and brings God closer to people".
I want to share a short prayer that I really like called "The Sailor's Prayer":
Dear Lord,
Please watch over my Daddy,
Because the Sea is so wide,
And his boat is so small.
Amen
Obituary for:
DALTON BROUILLETTE
DALTON BROUILLETTE
Dalton Joseph Brouillette, 81, of DeKalb, Texas, died Thursday, May 22, 2008, at his home.
Mr. Brouillette was born July 9, 1926, in Moncla, La. He was a retired supervisor at Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, a real estate agent, a Catholic, a volunteer with Wadley Hospital, a former member of Texarkana Optimist Club and THEOS; a member of Hubbard United Methodist Church; and a Navy veteran. He was preceded in death by one wife, Laura Mae Brouillette.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Pirkey Brouillette of DeKalb; three sons, Jeffery Dalton Brouillette of Galveston, Texas, Gary Reed Brouillette of Texarkana and Brian David Brouillette of Austin; one daughter, Janann Denise Brouillette of Austin; two stepchildren, Randy Pirkey and Sheri Peek of DeKalb, Texas; two granddaughters, Bailey Morgan Brouillette of Austin and Caroline Elizabeth Brouillette of Texarkana; seven stepgrandchildren; four stepgreat-grandchildren; and a number of other relatives.
Services will be 2 p.m. today at East Funeral Home, Moores Lane, with the Rev. Tony Hoefner officiating. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Park.
Online registration is at
http://www.mem.com/Story.aspx?ID=2457364