Boucher & Slack, Inc. 
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Jesse L. Boucher, 2nd from left. Wilburn A. Slack, 6th from left (back) (Both deceased)
Funeral services for Mr. Jesse L. Boucher were held at 2
p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004, at Springhill United Methodist Church with Dr.
Burton Blair officiating. Burial followed under the direction of Bailey
Mortuary in Springhill.
Visitation was held from 4 until 8 p.m. Dec. 27, at the funeral
home.
- Mr. Boucher passed away early Christmas morning in his ome with his family at his side. He gave up his place in this world after a courageous three year battle with cancer.
- He was born on Jan. 7, 1912 on a cold winter's day in Bodcau, a community less than20 years old, founded in the early 1890s by his father and others of the Boucher family. Jesse began his formal education at Shiloh School and continued by graduating from Springhill High School in 1931. From there, he continued his education at Normal State College in Natchitoches on an athletic scholarship. For four years, he was on the football and track team. He ran on the conference winning "Mile Relay."He served as senior class president and president of the student body, NSU.
- After receiving his bachelor of arts degree in 1935, he accepted a high
school coaching and teaching position at Evergreen, followed by a move
to Doyline High School and then Minden in Webster Parish. By this time,
he was employed by Warner Bros. Pictures and then in 1938, he joined Drayton
Boucher in the insurance business and was joined one year later by his
lifelong friend, Wilburn A. Slack, creating Boucher & Slack Insurance,
a mainstay in Springhill since 1938.
He married Mary Eloise Herrington on Sept. 11, 1940. - In 1940-44, he was stationed in Pensacola, Fla., where he served as an officer in the United States Naval Academy. Just prior to World War II, he served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force in Clovis, N. M. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to Springhill to resume his work with Boucher & Slack Insurance.
- Jesse began pursuing land and home development as a contractor and developer. As a developer, he became responsible for the construction of many of the most successful subdivisions and apartment complexes in the North Louisiana and Mid to South Arkansas regions.
- He is responsible for a major part of
the development of Webster Parish. His work continued into developing subdivisions,
schools, apartment complexes, hotels and shopping centers throughout Louisiana
and Arkansas. Several of these subdivisions include North Acres, Moreland,
Whiteway, Marie Street, Meadow Creek, Frost Subdivision and B&S Park.
In 1945, he opened an electric supply company housing retail, real estate
management, home centers and subdivision development. His current developments
include Louisiana cities Springhill, Bossier City, Vivian, Baton Rouge
and Lake Charles. His current developments in Arkansas include Fordyce,
Pine Bluff and Little Rock.
A leader and innovator in his field, Jesse was voted by the Lions Club 1949's "Outstanding Young Man." His style of building complexes earned him the honor from the Real Estate Community as "Builder of the Year" 1995-1996. - His name was added
to the "Who's
Who" in America and listed in the National Register. He served as Chairman
of the Springhill American Legion Post; President of the Springhill Lions
Club; PTA and SHS Alumni Association. In the early 1960s, he served as
mayor of Springhill.
Jesse and lifelong friend Woodrow Turner founded the "Alumni Association"in Springhill and initiated the birth of the Lumberjack Festival. In 1997, he was honored for his civic work by the Bossier City Lions Club and inducted into the Springhil High School Alumni Hall of Fame. He was recently inducted into the Northwestern State University's prestigious "Long Purple Line."
Jesse was an active member of the Bossier City Chamber of Commerce for many years and had a lifetime commitment as a devoted citizen of Springhill. When once asked,"What was his most important accomplishment?" His answer, "My most important accomplishment was when I married my wife, Eloise Herrington." - He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry H. Boucher and Mary "Dixie" Coyle;
brothers, Ely Augustus Boucher, Henry Creel Boucher; sisters, Katie Boucher
Nelson, Estelle "Sally" Boucher Slack and granddaughter, Sherri LeAnn Campbell.
He is survived by his brother, David G. Boucher and wife Sondra of Atlanta, Texas; his beloved wife of 64 years, Eloise Herrington Boucher; daughters, Savannah Boucher of Los Angeles, Calif., Sherry Boucher of Bossier City, Jessica Boucher-Ford and husband Randall L. Ford of Nashville, TN.; granddaughter, Chessa Boucher Lytle of Bossier City; grandson, Nathan Kyle Rogers; niece, Beverly Angel Wilburn and husband Sam Wilburn and children of Hilton Head Island, Christy Nelson Coy and husband Ted Coy of Hilton Head Island/Savannah GA; and nephew, Nick Nelson and wife Dana and their children of Stockbridge,Ga. - The family wishes to express their love and gratitude for Barbara Scott with whom the Lord so gloriously blessed them. They deeply appreciate the compassion, love and care that she gave their loving husband and father.
- Pallbearers will be Ed Bankhead, Ricky Darst, Allen Gray, David Gray, Ray Huddleston and Huey Mayfield. Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Adley, Toxie Bowen, LarryS. Burns, Foster Campbell, Harley E. Cox, John David Crow, David Curry, George Dement,Jean Doergy, H.D. Gray, Lloyd Kimbrell, John Madison, Jack Montgomery, A.W. Nelson, Firal Ryder and Joe D. Waggoner.
- In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be sent to the National Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, Ga., 30368-2454; United Methodist Prayer Garden in Springhill, 104 4th N.W., Springhill, LA 71075; or the Alumni Association/NSU Foundation, Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA 71497.




