WARREN HARANG, JR. Obituary: Terrebonne Parish, La. Submitted by: Louis Lavedan Source: Houma Courier, Houma, Terrebonne Parish, La. 11 Nov 2005 ================================================== ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ================================================== NOTES: 1. The date preceding the obituary is the date of posting on the WWW, not the date of death. ============================= November 02. 2005 11:57AM Former Thibodaux mayor died this morning at 84 By KATINA A. GAUDET NYT Regional Newspapers THIBODAUX -- One of the longest-serving mayors in Thibodaux history and the man viewed by many as one of the city's most ardent supporters has passed away. A native of Thibodaux, Warren Harang Jr. held his family and the city among his chief concerns, those who knew him said. He and his wife raised nine children, and Harang served five terms in the mayor's office. He died at 5:30 a.m. today at the age of 84. Walter Portier, a former city police chief, assistant chief and public-works director, said he considered Harang a mentor and close friend. He got to know Harang well during their professional time together -- Portier's city service coincided with Harang's tenure as mayor -- and believes, like others, that Harang devoted his life to making life better for his family and his city, Portier said. "I worked with him hand in hand, and I know how much he did for the city of Thibodaux," Portier said. "The city really did lose one of the best friends it ever had." Born in 1921, Harang grew up on a sugar-cane farm on the Celina and Heloise plantations south of Lockport. He became a sugar-cane farmer himself and a co-founder of the Cane Machinery and Engineering Co., more commonly known today as CAMECO, which has since grown into one of the city's largest employers. Harang served as the company's first president and chairman of the board. He graduated from Thibodaux College High School in 1939, attended Tulane University and Louisiana State University and served in the U.S. Army Air Force. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1945 and received an honorable discharge in 1946. He then went to work in the sugar-cane industry, eventually buying the Assumption Parish plantation, which his son Bryan continues to farm. Harang's public service was long and varied, as were the honors bestowed on him, like being named honorary fire chief for life by the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department in 1978 and getting the Frank Kennedy Citizen of the Year Award in 1984 from the Chamber of Commerce. Harang served as president of the Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce and the American Sugar Cane League, a member of the Lafourche Parish School Board from 1962-68 and a member of the Louisiana State Mineral Board for four years. Harang spent the most time in the mayor's office, serving three consecutive mayoral terms from 1968 to 1978 and two additional ones from 1986 to 1990 and 1994 to 1998. Although an employee of the City Council, Council Administrator Tommy Eschete worked with Harang during his final two terms. He recalled a man who was straightforward with everyone and was genuinely concerned about the Thibodaux residents he represented. "With Mayor Harang, you always knew exactly where you stood with him, and I felt like he always respected your opinion regardless of whether you agreed with him," said Eschete. "He always had Thibodaux first as far as what he wanted for the people, and the only other thing probably more important to him than the city would have been his family." Son Ben Harang, too, recalls his father's love for the city. "Thibodaux was his life, Thibodaux and his family," said Harang. "I think he's one of the biggest reasons why Thibodaux is what it is today." Harang is survived by his wife, Bernice, nine children, 23 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. November 03. 2005 1:01PM Warren Harang Jr. Warren J. Harang Jr., 84, a native and resident of Thibodaux, died Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2005. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at Landry's Funeral Home in Thibodaux and from 10 a.m. to funeral time Saturday at St. Genevieve Catholic Church. Mass will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the church, with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Bernice Peltier Harang; three sons, Warren Harang III of Donaldsonville, Bryan Harang and Ben Harang of Thibodaux; six daughters, Mary Margaret H. Dufrene, Bee H. Talbot, Sally H. Naquin and Susan H. Savoie, all of Thibodaux, Jane H. Bicknell of Shreveport and Carolyn H. Winder of Baton Rouge; one sister, Mary Lee H. Picou of Virginia Beach, Va.; 23 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren J. Harang Sr. and Winifred Foret Harang; one brother, Donald F. Harang; and two sisters, Winifred H. Kozelsky and Catherine H. Gouaux. He was the mayor of Thibodaux from 1966-1978, from 1986-1990 and from 1994 to 1998. He was grand marshall in 1952 of the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department and honorary fire chief for life. He was a lifetime VFW member and a member of the American Legion. He was a World War II veteran and a parishioner of St. Joseph Co-Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to LA Pediatric Cardiology Foundation, 777 Hennessy Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70808, a charity of your choice or Mass intentions.