Robert Michael Becnel

Robert “Bobby” Becnel, age 76, passed away on August 30, 2024. He was the middle child of Daniel Elmore Becnel, Sr., an attorney and representative in the Louisiana Legislature, and Marie Edna Vicknair, a nurse.

Bobby had an idyllic childhood in LaPlace, LA, playing in cane fields, riding his horse and spending time with his childhood friends. He boarded at Holy Cross in New Orleans and attended Louisiana State University, where he was president of his fraternity Phi Delta Theta. He graduated from Loyola University and went on to receive a Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law School.

For more than 40 years, Bobby practiced civil and criminal law in St. John the Baptist Parish. In addition to private practice, he served as Chairman of the St. John the Baptist Parish Indigent Defender Board, an Assistant District Attorney in St. John the Baptist Parish and a Special Prosecutor in Orleans Parish.

Public service was an integral part of his life. He was a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. In the political realm, he was Secretary/Treasurer-Parish Administrator from 1974-1980 for St. John the Baptist Parish, Undersecretary for the Louisiana Department of Urban & Community Affairs, and Executive Assistant to Governor Dave Treen. He served on the Board of Directors for Riverland’s National Bank and the Bank of St. John, as well as the Hibernia National Bank Advisory Board. He was the past Chairman of the LaPlace Sewerage District, was a member of the Louisiana Coastal Zone Advisory Commission and the South Louisiana Port Commission. Most recently, he was appointed to the Canal Street Development Corporation and the New Orleans Building Corporation.

Of all these achievements, Bobby’s greatest was being a loving and supportive father to Bridget Delivorias, Kelly Rovetto, Meghan Burns (Erin) and Ryan Becnel (Justine). He was ever present in their lives, from regaling them with bedtime stories of imaginary “Bobby the Frog”, bringing Halloween pumpkins and Mardi Gras king cakes to their classrooms, and attending every sporting event from grade school through high school. Bobby was blessed with four grandchildren whom he adored: Philip and Barron Delivorias, and Jackson and Sloan Rovetto.

In 1998, Bobby married Diane “DeeDee” Zink, and together they made a home in Uptown New Orleans, practiced law in LaPlace, and traveled to more than 35 countries, living life to the fullest. The places where they returned to time and time again were Africa, Caneel Bay, St. John USVI, where they would laze on the beach, and DeeDee’s home town of South Bend, Indiana, where they would attend Notre Dame games.

Bobby and his family are eternally grateful for the selfless donation of a kidney by his brother, Danny, 33 years ago, which enabled Bobby to not only watch his children grow, but gave him the unfettered ability to pursue his professional and personal endeavors.

Bobby was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved brother, Daniel Becnel, Jr. He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, sister Susan Williams, sister-in-law Judge Mary Hotard Becnel, plus several nieces and nephews.

On Saturday, September 14, 2024, all are invited to attend the visitation beginning at 10:30 A.M. and funeral mass at 11:30, at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6367 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA. Interment immediately following the funeral mass will be at St. Peter Cemetery, Reserve, LA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions honoring the life of Robert Becnel be made to UAB Comprehensive Transplant Institute at https://go.uab.edu/cti or the Comprehensive Transplant Institute Patient Assistance Fund at https://go.uab.edu/transplantpatientfund or mailed to UAB Gift Records, AB 1230, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0112.