Joseph Clyde Bourgeois, 92, a resident of St. Amant, died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011, at The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s before serving nine years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including all of World War II, followed by 11 years in the U.S. Air Force. He worked at the Michoud Assembly Plant for Boeing, building the Saturn V rocket booster for the Apollo mission, for Bell Aerospace, and for Martin Marietta, building the external fuel tanks for the space shuttle. He retired in 1984. He was a member of the VFW, Knights of Columbus, and UAW Local 1921. From 1966 to 1995, he was a parishioner of St. Mark Catholic Church in Chalmette, and was a parishioner of Holy Rosary Catholic Church. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Shirley Spiehler Bourgeois, of New Orleans; five children, Ann Bolger, Cynthia Wagley, and Thomas, Matthew, and James Bourgeois; nine grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Remi, Bernard and Allard Bourgeois; two sisters, Gloria James and Iris Lambert; and numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Noel and Celanie Mire Bourgeois; children, Mary Kathryn and Arthur Eugene Bourgeois; sister, Rosemary Roberts; and seven siblings who died in childhood. Visitation at Ourso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Highway, Gonzales, Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitation at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 44450 La. 429, St. Amant, Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m., with the Rev. John Koehler, celebrant. Entombment in the church mausoleum. Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association , P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011, or to The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice, 10615 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. To offer condolences to the family, please visit www.oursofh.com.
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