Floyd Joseph Begnaud, 88, of Port Arthur went to meet our Lord and Savior on October 10, 2016 at his residence. Floyd was born on December 4, 1927 to Monique and Raoul Begnaud. He was a lifelong resident of Port Arthur and a member of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church.
Floyd attended Thomas Jefferson High School and the University of Texas. He returned to Port Arthur to marry his high school sweetheart, Dorothy Williams. He worked at Gulf Oil Corporation for 37 years. He was on the Board of Directors for decades at the Gulf Employee Credit Union. He was on the school board of Bishop Byrne High School and volunteered in many capacities and by cutting grass at the school after work and on weekends. Floyd was a 30-year member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the Evening Sertoma Club, a school board member at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School, and on the Diocesan School Board for over four years. He loved to hunt, fish, and play with his grand and great grandchildren. One of his first’s love was music and playing his saxophone and clarinet with “Harry Vaughn and His Orchestra.” He and his friends played at many Country Clubs, the Harvest Club, and even Pleasure Pier Ballroom, the Black Cat Club and the Avalon in Port Arthur in his earlier years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Louis Paul; wife, Dorothy Begnaud; daughter, Trudy McCarthy; four grandchildren, Adam and April Begnaud, Garrett Sebastian, and Kristi McCarthy. Floyd is survived by five of his six children and their spouses; Larry (Laura) Begnaud, Rodney (Sandy) Begnaud, Vickie (Tim) Seymour, Cindy (Donnie) Carona, Debbie (Tim) Sebastian and Ed McCarthy. He was the proud “Pawpaw” to 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 13, at Melancon’s Funeral Home in Nederland, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a scriptural rosary at 7:00 p.m. A funeral mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 14 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Port Arthur with celebrant Monsignor Kenneth Greig officiating. His interment will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Port Arthur. Pallbearers will be his grandsons, Jason, Jeremy, Josh, Aaron and Austin Begnaud, Michael McCarthy, Donnie Carona, III, Seth and Matt Sebastian.
A special thanks to all of his caregivers, Ivony, Wendalin, Adela, Maria, Dona, Delphia, Magdalena and to the entire staff of Gentiva Hospice.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions would be appreciated to be given to St. Catherine of Siena School Foundation.