Alvin Benoit Daigle

leader for over 50 years, died Monday at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Gonzales. He

was 95. Mr. Alvin died of complications from hip surgery only 19 days short of his 96th

birthday. He and his late wife, Maude Martinez Daigle, were inseparable for 71

years of marriage until her death in July 2012.

Mr. Alvin was born in Morganza, La, and grew up on the old Cora Plantation, just

south of White Castle on the Mississippi River. He and Miss Maude, who also

lived on Cora, farmed 150 acres of sugarcane southwest of Annadel Road until

they retired in the 1980s.

Year after year, Mr. Alvin won “High Yield” awards for the sugar content of his

crop. He opened his fields to agricultural scientists at LSU who tested new

strains of cane and chemicals. He was also a skilled mechanic who fixed most of

his tractors and farming equipment, often working past midnight during the

planting and harvesting seasons. He was also a founding member of the White

Castle Fertilizer Coop.

When planning to retire, Mr. Alvin built his own home, working with his elder

son, Dennis Daigle, who stopped doing taxidermy for a year-and-a-half to help

him. They built behind Dennis’s house off Highway 69, and Mr. Alvin and Miss

Maude lived there happily for almost 30 years.

For him, retirement was a relative term. He planted two acres of fruits and

vegetables behind their house, harvesting them summer and winter. He and Miss

Maude regularly delivered fresh produce to St. Vincent de Paul in Baton Rouge

to feed the poor and homeless, and to friends and neighbors around White

Castle. It was rare that visitors to the Daigle home left without a bag of tomatoes,

cantaloupes and zucchini in the summer—or broccoli and cabbage in the winter.

He was passionate about hunting and was a founding member of the White

Castle Hunting Club. He also enjoyed shrimping and fresh- and salt-water

fishing, often going on expeditions with family and a few close friends.

Mr. Alvin was a private man, and his wife, children and his Catholic religion were

the cornerstones of his life.

He was an active parishioner and life-long volunteer at Our Lady of Prompt

Succor Church. He was one of the first lay people in the 1960s to do readings on

the altar during Mass. He also served as a Eucharistic minister, taking Holy

Communion to the sick and aged. He worked tirelessly to keep the church

functioning by cutting grass, cleaning ceilings, and even providing "altar boy"

services at Mass until he was in his 80s.

He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Monsignor De Maurizi

Council, No 4346. He always looked forward to his contemplative time with the

Jesuits every February at their Manresa Retreat Center. Finally, the family had

hoped that Mr. Alvin could attend the ordination into the Catholic priesthood of his

grandson, the Rev. Jerry Daigle Jr., scheduled for May 16, 2015.

Mr. Alvin was preceded in death by his parents, Felix and Marie Daigle; his 2-

year-old son, Leslie or "Poochie"; sisters Mabel Templet, Vivian Gomez, and

Thelma LeGleux; and brothers Lennet Daigle and Whelman (Tut) Daigle.

Surviving family members are Dennis and his wife Marilyn of White Castle; son

Jerry Daigle and his wife Sarah Jane of Alexandria; daughters Carolyn

Knickerbocker of White Castle, Janell Bannon and her husband Paul of Baton

Rouge, Debra "Lilly" Daigle and her husband Mark Charleville of Benton, and

Patricia Stark and her husband Bill of Santa Barbara, Calif; 11 grandchildren and

nine great-grandchildren.

Mr. Alvin is also survived by his sister Wilma "Sweetie" Brown of Luling, and

brothers Herman Daigle of Plaquemine; Larry Daigle and his wife Florence of

Luling; and Roy Daigle and his wife Georgia Lee of White Castle.