Joseph “Bob” French

Funeral Mass for Mr. Joseph “Bob” French, 84, of Arcadia, will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 27, 2021, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, in Ruston.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, July 22, 2021, at Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston.

Joseph was born on February 25, 1937, in Grove Center, Ky., to parents Harold and Margaret French. He passed away on July 18, 2021 in his home in Arcadia.

As a young man, he attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, where he excelled in both academics and athletics. After completing high school, he enlisted with the U.S. Air Force, where he served from May 1956 to May 1960. While stationed at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, he met his loving wife of 62 years, Maria L. French.

After his time in the military, he began working for the United States Postal Service, from which he retired as the Postmaster in Arcadia, in October of 1992. Joseph was a faithful man who loved the Lord, his family, church and community. He had a passion for genealogy, family history and continuing to learn throughout his life while also teaching others.

His sense of humor and funny comments always resulted in a smile or at least a good “dad joke.”

He is preceded in death by his father, Charles Harold French; mother, Mary Margaret French; and brother, Edward French, husband of Bonnie French.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Maria French; brother, Kenneth French and wife Shirley; children: John French and wife Becky, Cynthia French Gatlin and husband Toby, Becky French Hood and husband Randy, Bobby French and Debbie Gay, and Stephen “Ren” French and Joshua Carpenter; eight grandchildren, Brandi Kyzar and husband Kasey, Adam Schilling and wife Maggie, Shane Hood and wife Morgan, Kenny French, Thomas Foster, Zechariah Foster, Caden French, and Ashlei French; six greatgrandchildren: Kaylee, Keira and Kaleb Kyzar, Drake Hood, and Corey and Brayden Schilling, with whom he cherished time spent.

He also leaves behind several nieces, nephews and cousins that he enjoyed keeping up with throughout his life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you please consider donations in memory of Joseph “Bob” French be made to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Ruston, or to the American Diabetes Association.

To leave a memorial message for the family, please visit www. owensmemorialfuneralhome.com.