Florentine Rachal

Florentine LaCaze Rachal, 94, of Natchitoches, Louisiana passed away on August 6, 2017. Florentine was born at Bayou Derbonne, Louisiana on August 15, 1923. Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Friday, August 11, 2017, at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral home in Natchitoches, Louisiana with the recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 pm with Father Charlie Ray officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends again on Saturday morning, August 12 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm with a mass scheduled for 1:00 pm at St Augustine Catholic Church in Isle Brevelle, Louisiana with the Father Charlie Ray officiating. Burial will follow at Weaver Cemetery in Flora, Louisiana at approximately 3:00 pm. Florentine was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney Dennis LaCaze, and Frances Thomassee LaCaze; her husband of 59 years, J.D.Richard Rachal, a veteran of WW II; and her eldest son Raphael Richard Rachal; two sisters, Delphine LaCaze Ryan and Theresa LaCaze Fuller. She is survived by four children: Linda Lou Rachal, of Port Allen, Louisiana; David Dean Rachal and his wife, Connie, of Prairieville, Louisiana; Kenneth R. Rachal and his wife, Virginia of Thibodaux, Louisiana; and Van Dale Rachal, of Flora, Louisiana; a brother Malcolm LaCaze of London, England. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 31great grandchildren, and 12 great-great grandchildren. As an active member of St. Anne’s Catholic Church at Old River, Florentine was an orator, sang in the choir, and occasionally played the organ. She was a dedicated housewife, mother, and an accomplished cook. Every day for her husband and five children, she cooked and cleaned. On many Sundays, all the children would gather for Sunday dinner of fried chicken with all the trimmings. Her special chicken recipe and method of cooking would rival Colonel Sander’s Kentucky Fried Chicken. Every morning, she baked biscuits that would put Popeye’s biscuits to shame. One of her favorite things to cook for her family was steak gravy. Shortly before WWII in 1940, she met and married J.D. Richard Rachal. The marriage lasted 59 years until her husband’s death in 1999. 1n 1942, Richard left for WWII and fought the Japanese in the Burma theater for 3 years. Florentine stayed with her parents until his return caring for their child, Linda Lou, born in 1942 and Raphael Richard born in 1943. Upon her husbands return from WW II, they moved to Flora, Louisiana and after he was employed by the railroad, moved around Louisiana for several years, had three more children and settled back in Flora in 1959, where she resided until moving to Natchitoches in 2006. Pallbearers are Richie Rachal, Chris Rachal, Dean Rachal, Jarrett Rachal, Billy Moore, and Glenn Crochet. Honorary pallbearer is David Rachal. The family extends their gratitude to Hospice of Natchitoches, the Courtyard of Natchitoches’ nurses, social worker, and aides for their care of Florentine during her final years.