Roy G. LaSalle Jr.

Published 12:00 am Sunday, November 13, 2022

A memorial service will be held for Roy G. “Buddy” LaSalle Jr., 63, at 11 a.m. on Friday November 18, 2022, at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia.   

Buddy passed away on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, in Haverhill, Massachusetts, after fighting a yearlong brave battle with throat cancer.

Roy Gabriel “Buddy” LaSalle Jr. was born in New Iberia on February 4, 1959, and was a 1977 graduate of Catholic High School, playing football for the mighty Panthers. Buddy’s gridiron days under the ‘legendary’ Coach Louque certainly helped ‘sharpen his metal’ as he carried that fighting spirit and tough mentality throughout life. It was during this time that Buddy’s love for his parents, siblings and friends blossomed.

Growing up during that era, coupled with his daring sense of adventure, Buddy accumulated scores of true friends and logged tons of ‘war stories’. Choosing to work with his hands, he started his professional career in construction where he fell in love with the masonry trade and became a highly skilled brick layer. When work slowed in Louisiana, Buddy took to the waters around Cypremort Point on his 20-foot center console fiberglass boat he appropriately named “The Black Rack.” It was amazing to see the impact those times had on Buddy as even in his twilight years he would still reminisce and share fishing stories with others from the Black Rack and numerous prior journeys with his Pop on the “Flying Cloud.” Noting the vivid recollection of detail to the stories, one couldn’t help but recognize his love for the open water, which gave him an indescribable sense of peace and comfort. Sometime around 1987, Buddy was ‘recruited’ by some of his South Louisiana connections to join them up in Boston where they were in need of skilled masons. It was there he met and married Karen to begin “Bud’s Journey, Part II.”

Adjusting to the cold, culture and cuisine had its ups and downs for Bud, but when Katelin (aka ‘Skip’, aka ‘Button’) arrived, his hometown family knew he was there to stay and all down in Louisiana couldn’t be happier for him as Kate was the light of his life. When it seemed Buddy couldn’t be any prouder, along comes grandson number one (Carter, aka ‘Tater Bug’). Buddy’s world, perspective, focus etc., took a beautiful transformation about the same time he had lost that gruff Cajun accent (much welcomed by Karen as she was finally getting to a point where Bud was able to communicate verbally with his ‘Yankee’ family and friends rather than via pen and pad). When grandson number two (Brady, aka ‘Bam Bam’) came along Buddy was beside himself.

Buddy’s ole-fashioned values and views were the bedrock of his persona. He wasn’t going to force anything on anyone, but don’t dare try to tell him he was missing the boat on life’s advancements, technology and ‘progressive’ swings for the better. As embarrassed as he was to admit he succumbed to a cell phone, no one dared broach the subject of trying to upgrade him to an I-Phone as he would threaten to throw the flip phone in the brink if too much pressure was applied. As much as the grandkids transformed him, it was interesting to see the impact ole-fashioned Papa had on them. Before the age of five, Carter knew the introduction to Gunsmoke backwards and forwards. Both grandkids know who Barney and Aunt Bea were and if Jeremiah Johnson isn’t their idol growing up, we’ll all be shocked. Kate loved this influence on her kids but knew there was obviously some other ‘outside’ training that certainly came along with this, but quietly accepted that as ‘collateral damage.’

Buddy was a member of the Brick Layers Union in Boston and recognized for his 35+ years of association. He took great pride in his work and would rather tear out a phase of work he deemed substandard rather than move on to the next section/task. He was a man’s man and turned down the subsequent opportunities to work as job foreman so he could keep his hands on the brick and mortar.

Bud is survived by daughter Katelin (Deric Sullivan); his mother Patricia Dumond; brothers Thomas LaSalle (Katherine) and Michael LaSalle (Johnetta); a sister Claire “Babette” Lastrapes; grandsons Carter and Brady Sullivan; stepson Robert “Rob” MacNeil; former wife Karen LaSalle; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Buddy was preceded in death by his father Roy G. LaSalle Sr.; sister Patricia “Pousette” Vincent; brother Francois “Skipper” LaSalle; and a nephew Avery Vincent.

Honorary pallbearers are Big T and Deb and their family, Dan and Kyle Lombardi, John Raivard, The State Line Gang (Dennis and Artie), Aubrey Dauterive, Michael Tucker and David Lasseigne.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Amedisys Hospice, 4021-B, Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Suite 101, Lafayette, LA, 70503 or High Pointe Hospice House, 360 North Avenue, Haverhill, MA, 01830.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560, 365-3331, is in charge of the arrangements.