Obituaries: W. E. "Spec" LaCroix, 1965, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: January 7, 1965 Winn Parish Enterprise News-American Car-Truck Collision Kills Local Man, Injures Youths W. E. "Spec" LaCroix, 62 year old oil and gas distributor from Winnfield, was fatally injured and two local youths severely injured Saturday in a head-on collision 3.5 miles west on U. S. 84. Injured are Richard Cotton, Jr., 17, and Michael Ted Rowell, 17, both residents of Ogden Street, Laurel Heights. They are in a Shreveport hospital. These were the only three persons involved in the crash. It occurred at 3:30 p.m. January 2 as LaCroix was headed east towards Winnfield and the youths were going west for a squirrel hunt. The crash was in the westbound traffic lane. The collision happened 310 feet west of the crest of a hill. The road is straight and the weather was clear. LaCroix's truck left no skid marks before the impact and there were only short skid marks (13 feet 9 inches) left by the sedan driven by young Rowell. Officers viewed these facts as indicating that neither driver had more than a split second warning of the crash. R. N. Cotton, Sr., said Tuesday it appeared that his son would recover satisfactorily from a broken leg, facial cuts, and shock. Young Cotton, a member of the Winnfield Junior High Football team, has a double break in the leg bone above his left knee. He is expected to remain in traction for eight weeks before being placed in a cast. He also had several teeth knocked out. Neither he nor Rowell were able Tuesday to recall anything during the few seconds preceding the wreck, Cotton said. Young Rowell had severe cuts on the face and this seemed to be his worst injury. LaCroix Rites A native of Grant Parish, Mr. LaCroix moved to Rapides Parish with his parents where he graduated from Bolton High School and also from Louisiana State University. He located in Winnfield where he became agent for a petroleum company in 1932, which position he held at the time of his death. Prior to this he operated a service station in Winnfield. Mr. LaCroix was a member of the First Methodist Church and the Rotary Club. He was past president of the Band Boosters Club and had worked with groups in numerous civic projects through the years. He was also president of the Winn Parish Committee of the Louisiana Petroleum Council. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Pauline Drewett LaCroix; one daughter, Mrs. Helen Lynn Bankston of Lake Charles; two grandchildren, Tommy Lynn and Susan Bankston, Lake Charles; one brother, I. B. LaCroix, Jr., and his mother, Mrs. I. B. LaCroix, both of Pineville. Last rites were conducted Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Methodist Church with Rev. George Ross officiating, assisted by Rev. W. L. Holcomb. Acting as pallbearers were Melton Hightower, Reggie Gates, R. D. Bevill, Elmo Frazier, Austin Jordan, Troy Smith, Don Walsh, and James Mallard.