Ronald Lee Derouen

Ronald “Ron” Lee DeRouen, 80, of Lake Arthur, Louisiana, passed away peacefully at home on April 30, 1945, with his family by his side and his fishing pole nearby. Born in Cameron, Louisiana, to Elwin and Juanita DeRouen, Ron was the oldest of three children. He lived life on his own terms with stubborn determination and a quiet joy in simple things.

Ron possessed a remarkable talent for fixing anything, solving problems, and occasionally improving upon other people’s ideas. He could forecast the weather better than the weatherman, knew every secret fishing hole, offered strong opinions on politics, and told the best jokes—sometimes more than once. He loved wearing camouflage, enjoyed cracklins as a guilty pleasure, and found his greatest happiness in the company of his family. His favorite piece of advice was, “We are only here for a short visit. Make it count.” He lived by those words.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elwin and Juanita DeRouen. Ron is survived by his loving and patient wife, Mona DeRouen; his children, Marc Roberts, Shannon DeRouen, April Jolliff, Dwight DeRouen, Dwayne DeRouen, and Alex Pearce; his siblings, Jackie DeRouen and Wilton DeRouen; and fourteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

His family will gather privately to celebrate his life and legacy, honoring his wish for cremation. In keeping with Ron’s love of nature, they ask that loved ones spend time outdoors together in his memory.