Dr. Victor Monsour Sr.

Dr. Victor Monsour Sr., 93, passed away on Saturday, July 9, 2016.   He was born in Shreveport on August 28, 1922. A graduate of Fair Park High School, he entered LSU in Baton Rouge the Fall Semester of 1940. After serving four semesters as a student trainee, he was placed in charge of the football training room under Coach Ed Khoury. World War II interrupted the college years of Victor who joined the United States Navy.

After serving in the Navy for forty-one months, Victor was discharged with the rank of First Class Pharmacist Mate. He returned to LSU to complete the requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry-Zoology (1948) and a Master’s Degree in Microbiology (1950). Upon graduation, he was employed at the Shreveport Charity Hospital for several months before resigning to work on a doctorate in Microbiology at the University of Texas (1951). He received his PhD in June 1954.

Following graduation, Dr. Monsour returned to Shreveport to work at the new Confederate Memorial Medical Center for 38 months. During this time he took three short courses at the Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, GA in Medical Mycology (1955) and Biological Warfare (1957). While serving as volunteer in Civil Defense, he taught courses in Civil Defense and served a period of time as Assistant Director of Caddo-Bossier Parishes Civil Defense Agency.

Accepting the position of Assistant Director of the Bureau of Laboratories for the Missouri Division of Health, Dr. Monsour moved to Jefferson City in October 1957. During the 1957 Influenza pandemic, he implemented the State Diagnostic Laboratory. In 1958, he initiated a research program on hospital acquired Staphylococcal infections for the Department of Surgery at Barnes Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis.

Recalling the milder winters of Southwest Louisiana, Dr. Monsour accepted a teaching position at McNeese in 1959. After teaching six years in Biology and Chemistry, Monsour was named Head of the newly formed Department of Environmental Science and Microbiology. After serving sixteen years as the Department Head, he returned to full time teaching and research in the summer term in 1981. As professor emeritus after 25 years (1985), Dr. Monsour retired.

While at McNeese, Dr. Monsour was appointed to serve on numerous college committees. Over the years he wrote a number of articles for technical journals. He sought and attained research grants and was instrumental in forming a Biological Chemical consortium with Texas A&M, which resulted in a $3.2 million three-year Brine Line project which began in 1980.

He was active in the American Society for Microbiology, the Air Pollution Control Association, the National Environmental Health Association, Southwest Section of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Sigma XI. While an active member and past president of the Louisiana Environmental Health Association, he received the “Outstanding Registered Sanitarian of the Year of 1982-84” and the Axion-Chopin Award, which is given annually for significant long-time activity to foster public health programs in Louisiana by an individual not employed by an official public health agency.

After retiring from McNeese, Dr. Monsour served a five-year term on the Lake Charles Water Company Board of Directors. Monsour was a lifetime member of VFW Post 2130. Being an active member of St. Luke-Simpson Methodist Church, he taught Sunday school, served on committees and the Board of Trustees.

Dr. Monsour was preceded in death by his parents, W.M. and Mary Monsour, three brothers, Dr. Michael Monsour, Neasibe “Bay” Monsour, both of Shreveport, Edward Monsour of Church Falls, Virginia, sister, Maxine Monsour of Shreveport, his beloved wife of nearly 52 years, the former Billie Rae Weeks of Lake Charles, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. O. Weeks of Shreveport.

He is survived by his son, Victor and wife Tamara of Carlyss; daughter “Lisa” Monsour and husband Greg Richard of Lake Charles; grandson, Blake Monsour and wife Candice of Iowa; granddaughter, Megan Monsour Hartman and husband Matt; and step-granddaughter, Reagan Monsour LeBoeuf and husband Aaron, all of Carlyss. Other survivors include 5 great grandchildren; five nieces; three nephews; and numerous great nieces; nephews; and cousins.

The funeral will be held at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at Johnson Funeral Home. Bro. Randy Edwards will officiate. Burial will follow at the Forrest Park Cemetery East in Shreveport. Visiting hours will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 11, 2016 at Johnson Funeral Home. Visitation will resume at 8:00 a.m. until time of service on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at Johnson Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or American Parkinson Disease Association.