By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / Febuary 1, 1999

DES ALLEMANDS – Wilfred and Velma Breaux of Des Allemands will be host and hostess for the upcoming fifth annual Krewe of Des Allemands ball and parade.

Married 56 years, she was born and raised in Des Allemands, the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Hypolite Matherne.In December 1941, Wilfred Breaux of Lake Charles came to town, employed by Brown & Root Construction. While eating at Frenchy and Rose’sRestaurant one day, across the street from the rooming house where he was staying, he saw young Velma Matherne outside.

“He saw me walking on the highway and said to a friend, ‘I’m gonna marry that girl!” she recalled with a still-girlish laugh. He’s 76 and she’s 77, hiselder by 10 months.

By Sept. 29, 1942, they were married. Together, they raised four sons -Wilfred Paul, Gregory Mark “Moose,” Kerry James and Frank Edward.

There was a break in the young marriage when, on Nov. 30, 1942, he wasdrafted and didn’t return home until January 1946.

For a time they operated a rice farm outside of Lake Charles, but the tug of the bayou worked its magic. In 1950 they returned to Des Allemands forgood, where he worked for Loffland Brothers Drilling.

Nowadays, in a living room of a modest home on Breaux Lane, surrounded by mounted deer heads and a mounted 24-pound turkey, (“I love my hunting!” he said) the couple are half-buried with beads, cups and other throws, preparing for their coronation ball and dance at the Father Mac Center of St. Gertrude Catholic Church, on Feb. 6 at 8 p.m.Admission to the dance, which lasts until 1 a.m., is $20 per couple and $10per single.

Their parade will be held Feb. 14, starting at 2 p.m. The route of theparade, with the theme of “Fifties Mystery,” will begin at Old Spanish Trail at Whitley Drive, continue along Whitley to U.S. Highway 90, turnright to DeJean Street, progress again to Old Spanish Trail and then to Lorraine Drive.

Selection of the Breauxs was almost a shoo-in, what with son Kerry, a Krewe selection committee member, campaigning for them.

“They came over and told me, but he had already told me he didn’t want to be king,” Velma recalled.

However, when the selection committee dropped by their home that same evening to spring the decision on the couple, he was initially surprised but agreed cheerfully.

“I think it’s an honor!” he said, beaming.

The couple also has six grandchildren, three of whom are riding in the parade, and one great-grandchild.

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