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The Life of Kenneth E Squires

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 16, 2014, at 11:00 AM in Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA, for Kenneth E. Squires, 60, who passed away on Sunday, August 10, 2014 in a helicopter related accident in Iberia Parish.

Interment will be held in Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery, 2111 W. Pinhook Rd., Lafayette, LA

Reverend Wallace Millsaps, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Jeanerette, will conduct the funeral services. Eulogist will be Frank Barber.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 33 years, Pearl Lafleur Squires; two daughters, Patrice Squires and Kimberly Squires Maples and her husband Geran; five grandchildren, Mason and Gabe Pisani (and their father, Rickey Pisani, Jr. and his wife Alison), Mia Collette daughter of Patrice Squires, Caleb and Skyler Maples; his mother, Abbie Squires; and, two brothers, Raymond Squires and his wife Christine and Steve Squires and his wife Charlene.

He was preceded in death by one daughter, Pamela Squires Pisani; and his father, Edward R. Squires.

Ken Squires was born on April 30, 1954 in Mississippi, was raised in Texas and resided in Louisiana for most of his life. He attended Pine Tree High School and Kilgore College in East Texas and obtained his first pilot''s license for flying airplanes at the age of 17 at the Gladewater Airport in Texas. Ken moved to Waco, TX to work as a crop-duster and at age 25 (1979), he responded to a newspaper advertisement for crop-dusting aerial work in Arnaudville, LA. He started spraying cotton and rice in North Louisiana, then soybeans and sugarcane in South Louisiana in the early 80''s.

Aviation was his passion and Ken was a self-made man with great work ethics. He started Penn-Tex Helicopters, Inc. in 1979 and was the helicopter crop-duster originator in South Louisiana. He designed and built his own spray gear and helicopter prototypes. From 1985-2014, he perfected the style of helicopter crop-dusting and repaired wooden helicopter blades, which were almost obsolete. He was a licensed A & P Mechanic with Inspector''s Authorization and a flight instructor for both airplanes and helicopters. As a flight instructor, he taught over 100 students how to fly, while amassing a remarkable 25,000 flight hours. Ken was on the board of the Iberia Parish Airport Commission and while serving on the board, he obtained grants to fund the building of aircraft hangers at the Jeanerette Airport for residents and pilots to use.

Ken was a teacher to everyone, loved his family and was very goal oriented. He talked to everyone and was knowledgeable in many, many things. He loved art, music, reading and learning. Ken wrote a book "Standoff at French Bayou", which has been published on Amazon. He did everything a man could do to provide for his family. Ken will be greatly missed by his family, friends and all who knew and loved him.

Pallbearers will be Raymond Squires, Steve Squires, Geran Maples, Rickey Pisani, Jacob Humphries and Perry Vannoy.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed in Delhomme Funeral Home on Bertrand on Friday, August 15, 2014 from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Visiting hours will continue on Saturday from 9:00 AM until the time of service.

Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

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2014.08.16
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