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September 28, 1927 ~ October 10, 2022

ABBEVILLE — A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Vernon Louis Miller, who passed away at his home in Lafayette, Louisiana on October10, 2022, at 95 years of age.
He was laid to rest at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery with Fr. Louis Richard officiating the services.
Vernon was born on September 28, 1927, in Abbeville, Louisiana to Jean Baptiste (J. B.) and Odile Crochet Miller. Vernon was thetenth of ten children, and he lived in Abbeville all his young life. After graduating from Abbeville High School, he attended SouthwestLouisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) where he received a BA degree in Pre-law.
Upon graduation, he proudly served his country as a medic in the United States Navy. At the end of his term, he returned to Abbeville where he began his lifelong career in sales. Vernon had a great love for the simple things of life. He delighted in telling jokes or playing tricks on his siblings. As an example, if his sisters, Mabel and Audrey, were going to see a movie he had seen, he would be sure to tell them how in ended before they saw the movie. He and his Abbeville friends enjoyed being together and making big plans for projects that were only ideas on their part butseem to almost come to reality in their planning.
Vernon will be remembered by all who knew him for his kind and loving ways, for the joy he brought to others, his love for children and the pet dogs he had during his lifetime. He had agift of being able to enjoy and cherish the simple pleasures of life.
He will be sadly missed by all who knew him, especially by his lifelong friend and companion, Betty Meaux. Vernon is survived by his nieces, Phyllis M. Taylor, Odile L Segrest and Judith M. Falcon; his nephews, Byron A. Leblanc and John O. Miller; twelve great nieces and nephews; 19 great-great nieces and nephews; and his dear friend and companion, Betty Meaux.
Vernon is preceded in death by his parents, J. B. and Odile Miller; and by all of his siblings, his four brothers, John, William, James and Francis Miller; five sisters, Mabel Caldwell, Audrey Summers, Annie von Miller, Winniefred Miller and Rachel LeBlanc; his nephews, William H. Miller, Jr. and James B. Miller, Jr.; and great nephews, Tyson LeBlanc, and James B. Miller, III.
Vernon's family would like to thank the staff and administration of Hospice of Acadiana and Right at Home, especially Amy Lovelland Michel Montou, for their care and compassion during the last months of Vernon's life. Also, they wish to give a special thanks to John Lewis for his many years on his caring for Vernon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Paul the Apostle Church, 336 S. Washington St. Lafayette, LA 70501 or Hospice of Acadiana, Inc., 2600 Johnston St., Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70503 or hospiceacadiana.com.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net. All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Abbeville, (337) 893-4661.

Earth High crowned Avery-Grace Hebert as the homecoming queen on Friday night.

When you play a caliber team like the St. Charles Comets, a team can not make mistakes if they want to beat them.
Abbeville head coach Roderick Moy preached that to his team all week. He told his team that the team that commits the least amount of mistakes wins.
Abbeville committed more mistakes and lost to St. Charles, 29-13.
The Wildcats limited their mistakes in the first half and were only down 14-13 at halftime.
Abbeville had outgained St. Charles 252 yards to 68 yards in the first half.
The second half began as the Wildcats wanted. The Wildcats took the opening drive and covered 67 yards in 20 plays, but they got nothing to show.
Abbeville had first down on the St. Charles’ 13-yard-line with a chance to go ahead. Instead, Abbeville went backwards, thanks to two penalties. Abbeville attempted a 26-yard field goal, but it sailed right.
From that point on, the Wildcats never recovered.
“That first drive (in the second half) was everything we wanted,” said Moy. “We get inside the 20-yard line and shoot ourselves in the foot. We talked about it for a week in practice. Whoever makes the least mistakes will win this game. More games are lost than won. It is high school football.”
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Wildcats were still down 14-13. An interception stopped AHS’s second drive, that the defender ran back to the 3-yard-line. The Comets would score to take a 22-13 game.
Although the score does not indicate it, Abbeville dominated the game on offense and defense.
The defense held the Comets to under 100 yards, while Abbeville had 388 yards of total offense. They rushed for 266 yards and threw for 122 yards.
St. Charles head coach Wayne Stein was impressed with Abbeville.
“Abbeville was a very well-coached team that had a good plan against us,” said Stein. “They matched up well against us. It was a clean game. It was two teams who respected and got after one another.”
The Wildcats found themselves behind the eight ball a minute into the game, down 7-0.
AHS’s first game drive ended badly when a St. Charles defender took it out of the hands of running back Jaysen Shelvin. The defender ran it back 35 yards for a touchdown.
Just like that, Abbeville was down 14-0.
Once the dust settled and the Wildcats calmed down, they put together an 80-yard, 14-play drive for seven points.
Trasean Green ran seven yards for a touchdown, and Edwin Ramirez kicked the extra point, making it 14-7.
The Wildcats scored on their next possession. That time it was a 78-yard pass play to Derrian Washington. The point after kicked was missed, and the Wildcats were down 14-13.
Moy was proud of the way the kids played in the first half.
“We felt awesome at halftime,” Moy said. “We knew what we were going to come out and do. We came out and did what we wanted to do. We could not finish. It is a game of finishing.
“St Charles finished its drives, and we did not. We turned the ball over, and they did not. We are a championship football team for 24 minutes. But they do not hand out rings for two quarters.”
Doing his best to try and keep Abbeville’s offense alive was Shelvin. He rushed for 171 yards on 17 carries. He also completed four passes for more than 25 yards.
Abbeville opens district at home Friday against Crowley. It will be Abbeville’s homecoming.

VERMILION PARISH – On Oct. 6, 2022 shortly before 2:30 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop I was notified of a multiple-vehicle crash on Louisiana Highway 14 west of W. Pirates Lane in Vermilion Parish.
The crash claimed the life of 26-year-old Erin Mathew LaPoint of Lake Arthur.
The initial investigation by State Police revealed a farming operation was burning field edges near LA 14. With the accumulation of smoke, the vision of drivers on the roadway was obscured. Within a short time, two separate but related crashes occurred.
With the road blockage, a third crash occurred involving the fatality. Investigators determined the third crash occurred as LaPoint was traveling west on LA 14 in a 2003 Ford Mustang when he rear-ended a 2022 Peterbilt Single Unit Delivery Tanker, which was stopped in the roadway due to the previous crashes. LaPoint was then rear-ended by a 1998 pickup, driven by Skyler Abshire of Gueydan. Upon impact, LaPoint’s Mustang was crushed between the Peterbilt tanker and the pickup.
LaPoint was unrestrained and suffered fatal injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office. The driver of the Peterbilt was restrained and was not injured. Despite being unrestrained, the driver of the pickup was also not injured.
Standard toxicology samples were obtained from LaPoint for analysis. The drivers of the Peterbilt and pickup both submitted breath samples, which showed no alcohol present and neither driver showed signs of impairment. This crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana State Troopers remind motorists that making good choices while in motor vehicles such as always ensuring every occupant is properly restrained, not driving impaired, and not being distracted behind the wheel can often mean the difference between life and death.
Troop I has investigated 39 fatal crashes resulting in 44 deaths in 2022.