Jessie Howard Deville

Jesse Howard Deville, 93, U.S. Navy SCPO, Ret., passed away Thursday morning, December 22, 2022 at his home at Sage Oak Assisted Living in Lake Charles. 

Mr. Deville was born August 10, 1929 to George Marshall Deville and Mae Lillian Burgins Deville in St. Landry, Louisiana.  He was raised in Pine Prairie, LA.  He proudly served as a United States Navy Seabees with a “Can Do” spirit.  Throughout the course of his career, he served multiple war efforts that include Korea and was the Assistant Officer in charge of Combat Training for the Seabees during the Vietnam War and was the recipient of many medals and awards.  He also served in Okinawa, California, Alaska, Guam and Midway.  He later served as a Navy recruiter in Lubbock, Texas, retiring with twenty years of service at the age of thirty-six, the youngest to retire a Navy Seabees. 

Following his retirement Mr. Deville served another twenty years, utilizing his strong work ethic and military background to succeed in a position with the General Service Administration (GSA) and United State Postal Service.  He advanced to the Baton Rouge Post Office with a regional territory position as the Manager of Plant and Equipment Engineering for half of the State of Louisiana.

He married Margaret L. Turnbow, his bride of sixty-eight happily married years and enjoyed establishing congregations in Guam, Midway and Longville.  They were members of the Church of Christ, sharing together a primary interest in spreading God’s word and helping people in need.  While working for GSA, Mr. Deville moved his family to Longville, LA to be closer to family and start a farm.  He and his wife established the “J-Mar Farm and Ranch”. Together, with their children, they enjoyed a wide range of interest such as black angus cattle, emus and rheas, horses, pigs, sheep and farming 500 acres of soybeans.

He leaves to honor his memory, five children: daughters, Claudette Varnon (John) of Bandera, TX, Roxanne Barrilleaux (Bernie), Alice Bergeron (Terry) and Pattie Deville, all of Lake Charles and one son, Jesse R. Deville (Dawn) of Longville, LA; ten grandchildren, Andre Moreau (Nick), Melissa Benoit, Alice A Benham, Laurie Willis, Brandy Fontenot, Michelle Ortego, Terry Bergeron (Deuce), Heather Ieyoub, Jessie Moore and Jonathon Deville (Remy); fifteen great grandchildren, Kodi Stewart, Cory Farrell, Amarye Moreau, Joshua Barrilleaux, Kierston and Drayton Ortego, Holland Bergeron, Hunter, Gambrelle, Anderson and Georgia Ieyoub, Kaia Deville, Kayden, Gavin and Mikey Marshall; three great-great-grandchildren and his nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of sixty-eight years, Margaret L. Turnbow; his parents; four sisters, Essie Mae Causey, Bertha West, Alice Sciacca and Wilma Blood and two brothers, George and Vester “Bud” Deville.

Graveside services with Military Honors will be at 1:30 PM Tuesday, December 27, 2022 at the Central Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 3348 University Parkway, Leesville, LA under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made to a Louisiana Alzheimer's Association at alzbr.org or a Louisiana Parkinson’s Foundation at davisphinneyfoundation.org.