Austin Melanson, Jr.

And God shall wipe every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Austin Melanson, Jr. was born in Lafayette, La. on January 21, 1956. In December 1956, at the age of 11 months, he became the loving son of Marius and Martha Thomas. They raised him in Oberlin, La. in the light of the Lord. They brought him to church and taught him to praise God with his whole heart.

He went to Oberlin Elementary and Oberlin High Schools. He completed his education in Job Corp. in Texas. He received a certificate in cooking. He worked on board row and in construction. As an adult he moved to California where he worked in Los Angeles, Ca. as a cook and at a California School Board Office. He was a believer in hard work and perseverance.

Austin was a soft spoken, loving person. He found joy and fulfillment being with family and friends. His infectious smile is ingrained in our memories forever.

After a short battle with illness, Austin departed this earthly world on February 1, 2015 at Christus St. Francis Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria, La. He will be missed greatly and remembered for his love and life always.

Left to celebrate his life arc his sisters, Beatrice Gentry, Leatricc Wilson, Ophelia Pete, Emma Gibson, Ruby Melanson, Patricia Melanson and Rena Tyler; his brothers, Joseph Melanson, Austin Latiquc, Timothy Wright, and Keith Tyler, two God-children, Daniel Ross and Ann Wolfe.

Preceding him in death are his parents Marius and Martha Thomas; and siblings, Reese Thomas, Edith Gray, Darius Thomas, Sr., Levan Thomas, Niddy Hayward and Theresa Walker.

There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go.