International Charities, Haiti Mission Inc of Louisiana and One Family International of Texas, have teamed up to rehabilitate a water well serving hundreds of Africans in a village in Uganda.
The project honors the lives and memory of prominent residents of Eunice Bertha and Ignace Charles.
Ignace and Bertha are parents to nine current and former residents of Eunice and St. Landry Parish. Ignace was born in St. Landry Parish; Bertha “nee Coleman” in Acadia Parish.
The Charles were long time, devout members of the Golden Star Baptist Church in Eunice. Ignace served many years as treasurer and deacon. Bertha was a vocalist in the choir, president of the Baptist Training Union, and a member of Eastern Star.
Ignace worked for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad; Bertha was a Moosa Memorial Hospital nurses aide and cook. Both were retired at the time of their deaths.
Ignace died in 1971; Bertha in 1991. Both are buried in The Honeybee Cemetery, Eunice.
Their children included Melvin Charles, Melton Charles, Frank Charles, Mildred Boutte, Gracie Mae Charles, all deceased; Stanley Coleman of Eugene, Oregon, Rosa Lee Ned of Eunice, Connie Caldwell of Austin, and Johnny Ray Charles of Missouri City, Texas. Stanley Coleman was a former teacher at Eunice High and LSU Eunice, and a former church musician in Eunice.
“We are so very pleased and grateful for this recognition of our parents,” stated Roas Lee Ned, daughter. “Both were generous contributing members of their community and especially their church.
“Their goodness and love of family lives on in all of their survivors, including two additional generations of grandchildren and great grandchildren. We are particularly grateful to Patrick Winkley, founder and president of One Family International, and Lloyd Duplantis, founder and president of Haiti Mission Inc., for making this recognition of our parents a reality.”
Also surviving Ignace and Bertha are grandchildren Jerry and Craig Johnson, Carlos Charles, Teddy Ned, Tiffany Fletcher, Shawn Ned and Cody Charles, and great grandchildren, Skylar Ned, a graduate of Eunice High, and a senior at LSU Baton Rouge, majoring in electrical engineering, Jaden Ned, a 2018 graduate of Eunice High School, Leah Ned and Star Fletcher, students in St. Landry Parish schools.