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- August 4, 1930 - September 25, 2010
John Nelson "Buz" Broussard, age 80, retired Captain, US Marine Corps, veteran of WWII, Korean War, Cold War, and Vietnam War with 20 years active military service, passed away on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at his residence in Lafayette.
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 10:00 AM in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille on St. Landry Street, Downtown Lafayette. Visitation will be observed on Saturday from 9:00 AM until the time of service.
Born in Port Néches, Texas in 1930, Buz was a graduate of Scott High School Class of 1947, and University of the State of New York (Excelsior College), Albany, and also attended the University of Maryland, Nicholls State University and LSU Law School in Baton Rouge.
Buz entered the Navy at the age of 15 during WWII and served on Guam. He was a Telegrapher-Agent with Southern Pacific Railroad before joining the Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was the Warden of the Naval Prison in Sasebo, Kyushu, Japan (1956-57), retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969, and retired as a Supervisor at the Shell Chemical Refinery in Geismar, Louisiana in 1990. He was former Deputy Chief of Campus Police for LSU Medical and Dental Schools in New Orleans, and had been a Sunday School teacher at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Prairieville and at Community Baptist Church in Lafayette.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Verna Sonnier (Norton) Broussard of Lafayette; one son, Guillaume Henri Broussard, and his wife Angela C. Broussard of Saucier, Mississippi; one daughter, Cynthia Fox of San Marcos, Texas; four grandchildren, Israel, Aubrey, and Keller St. John Broussard of Saucier, Mississippi; and Lauren Nesbitt and her husband, Kenneth of San Marcos, Texas; and two great grand children, Alexander McKeever Nesbitt and Arabel Yvette Nesbitt of San Marcos, Texas. He is survived by one sister, Nola B. Guidry of Lafayette; three stepchildren, Howard Daniel Hernandez of Brevard, North Carolina, Cheri Norton Broussard of New Iberia, and Stacey L. Bigner of Baton Rouge.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Guillaume and Bertha Mouton Broussard of Scott; two brothers, Antoine Eli "Leroy" Broussard, and Wilbert Joseph Broussard, and one sister, Martha Broussard Wimberly; his first wife, Mary Belle Mire Broussard; grandson, James Wheeler Jones; great-grandson, Sterling Archer Nesbitt; and one stepson, Gene Thomas Hernandez.
His paternal grandparents were Joseph Clément Broussard and Marcélite Légère Broussard of Ossun; and his maternal grandparents were Alcide Mouton and Alzina Préjean Mouton of Vatican/Carencro.
Buz loved genealogy and traced his ancestry to Jean-Baptiste Broussard (1732-1825) who served in the American Revolutionary War. Buz was a Life Member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
He was a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans, Military Officers Association of America, Vietnam Veterans of America (Hill 141, Lafayette), National Association of Atomic Veterans, Marine Corps League, Veterans of Underage Military Service, American Legion, Charter Member of the Marine Corps Cryptologic Association, Third Marine Division Association, Fleet Reserve Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Veterans Coalition of Acadiana, Past National Commander of the Three War Veterans Association.
He was a member of the Prostate Cancer Survivors Group at Lourdes Hospital, the Shell Employees Retiree Group in Baton Rouge, and the "Table Française" at Dwyers.
In April 1953 Buz participated in the above-ground atomic bomb test codenamed "Upshot-Knothole: Badger" at Area 2 of the Nevada Test Site. Buz was a member of the elite 2nd Marine Corps Provisional Atomic Exercise Brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Wilbur "Bigfoot" Brown. After the shock wave passed his position in an open trench 2.27 miles from ground zero, Buz's company advanced toward ground zero until their dosimeters exceeded the radiation exposure limit.
His decorations include the World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal with 3 battle stars, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 battle stars, National Defense Medal with 1 star, Presidential Unit Citation with one star, Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with four stars, Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Republic of Vietnam, and the United Nations Medal, Sons of the American Revolution War Service Medal with three devices.
He received a citation for Cold War activities while on special intelligence flight aircrew missions with Squadron VQ-2 (EA3B aircraft) aboard the CVA-59 USS Forrestal in 1965-66.
Eulogists will be Gil Broussard, Charles McGowen II, Gary Funderburk and Rev. Kenneth J. Domingue.
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where O death is your sting? But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:55-56)
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Building Fund of Community Baptist Church, 800 Rue du Belier, Lafayette, LA 70506, or SNAP Network at www.snapnetwork.org.
View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com
Martin & Castille-DOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry St., Lafayette, LA 70506, 337-234-2311
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in The Advertiser from Sep. 28 to Oct. 1, 2010.
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1930 - 2010 (80 years)