Kieff Obituaries: Terrebonne Parish, La. Submitted by: Cynthia Fatchett Daigle Source: As listed with each Obit 3 June 2004 ================================================== ********************************************** 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 the newspaper, not the date of death. 2. Annotations are additional information 3. SLR - from South Louisiana Records by Donald Hebert 4. SLVFR - from South Louisiana Vital Family Records by Terrebonne Genealogicial Society ============================ Houma Courier; Friday May 27, 1938 Mrs. Davidson KIEFF, Verna KIEFF, Norman PELLEGRIN Triple Funeral for Lightning Victims May 26 Services for Three Killed Attended by Large Throng A triple funeral for the victims of the lightning bolt which struck a boating party going from Chauvin to Montegut Monday evening was held Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. in St. Joseph's church on Little Caillou. Fisher folk and many others from surrounding communities and from Houma and from towns in Lafourche and neighboring parishes were present. The impressive service of the Catholic church were held over the remains of the three killed by the lightening bolt, Mrs. Davidson KIEFF, 38; Verna KIEFF, 15, her daughter and Norman PELLEGRIN, 15, son of Mr. Justin PELLEGRIN. Father Anthony Maher C.P. who had been conducting the mission services to which the party were going when the bolt struck was the celebrant. Priests from neighboring parishes assisted in the services. Sorrowing Community The entire community turned out en masse for the rites for the three members who had so suddenly been stricken. Relatives and friends of the deceased thronged the church and followed the bi_rs to the cemetery. Survivors Mrs. KIEFF and her daughter are survived by her widower and two children, Julius and Gertrude. Norman PELLEGRIN is survived by his father, Mr. Justin PELLEGRIN and the following brothers and sisters, Eddie, Aaron, Lorelel, Louella, and Lytha. Funeral arrangements for Mrs. KIEFF and her daughter were handled by the Falgout Funeral Home, and the arrangements for the PELLEGRIN youth by the Chauvin Funeral Home of Houma. (see accompanying story below) Houma Courier; Friday May 27, 1939 Bolt Shocks and Burns Three Near Chauvin on Little Caillou Sudden Tragedy Strikes Company on way by Boat to St. Joseph Mission Tragedy struck without warning at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening among a cheerful party going by boat to the Mission services at the St. Joseph church at Little Caillou. With an ear-splitting crash a bolt of lightning struck the boat belonging to Mr. Davidson KIEFF and killed Mrs. KIEFF instantly, fatlly injured his daughter, Verna and blasted overboard Norman PELLEGRIN. Verna PELLEGRIN (sic) survived the injury long enough to receive the last rites of the Catholic church administered by Father Charles Beauvais. Searchers thronged the banks of the bayou for hours searching for the body of Norman PELLEGRIN and found it at 11:30 that night. When the bolt struck, piercing a hole through the boat and setting it afire, it had just reached Moonlight Half, which is located about 18 miles below Houma on the Bayou Little Caillou. Unguided, the vessel plowed into the bank opposite the hall and excited residents, attracted by the loud report, rushed to the aid of the stricken occupants. Others Injured Of the 11 occupants of the boat three were rendered unconscious and burned. The injured were Lydia PELLEGRIN, Laura Lee PELLEGRIN and Ida CHAUVIN. All three were rushed at once to the Ellender Memorial Hospital in Houma where they were treated for burns and shock Besides the three above it is understood that Mr. KIEFF, the owner of the boat, was deafened, as was another girl occupant. It was impossible to determine at time of going to press whether it was a temporary or permanent deffness. Tells Story Miss Ida CHAUVIN, 24, one of the injured stated last Wednesday night as follows: "We were all on the boat going to the mission and that's all I remember until I came to in bed." The people of the group had been attending the mission services being conducted at the St. Joseph chruch and were anxious to be present for the closing night's services scheduled for Wednesday. They left the landing in the midst of a rainstorm that came up suddenly about 5:45 p.m. and had not gone very far when the bolt struck. Others on the Boat Other members of the party aboard the boat, all residents of the Chauvin community on Little Caillou were: Verna and Gertude KIEFF, daughters of the dead woman, Louella PELLEGRIN, Hazel Babin and Mrs. Eddie PELLEGRIN. Rushed to Shore The excited residents of the community rushed to the vessel, put out the fire which the bolt had started and carried those aboard to shore. Hurried calls were made for ambulances from the Ellender hospital and local funeral parlors and from Raceland. ==========================