Funeral services will be held Friday, August 13, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. in Evangeline Memorial Gardens Chapel in Carencro for Fred Allen Melancon, age 63, a prominent civic and humanitarian leader, who passed away Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 1:55 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette.

Interment will be in Lafayette Memorial Park in Lafayette. The Rev. Keith LaBove, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, will officiate at the services. Readers will be his sister, Brenda DeMette and his niece, Angie Huval.

Musical selections will be provided by his nieces, Brittany Morvant and Scarlet Lofton. The songs will be the Battle Hymn of the Republic, Precious Lord, Take My Hand, How Great Thou Art and On Eagle’s Wings.

Fred was born on September 28, 1946 to the late Necess Melancon and Joycelyn Rabeaux Guidroz and was raised in Lafayette. He was a graduate of Iowa High School in Iowa, LA, Class of 1964. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Air Force having served in Bien Hoa, Vietnam. He was a parishioner of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lafayette.

Fred’s walk of life took him down many paths and he wore many hats. He was a parish deputy for Carlo Listi in the late 60’s and ranked as Lieutenant. He then began his insurance career in 1971 and made Rookie of the Year for Life of Georgia. This was the 1st of many more accomplishments. He remained there until 1973. Fred then moved on to MFA Insurance in 1973, now Shelter Insurance for eleven years. He was an agent then became District Manager and made Runner Up District Manger of the Year 1976. His good fortune had allowed him to travel from Hawaii to Germany, Austria, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, S.A. and Bermuda to San Diego, CA. In 1984, he embarked on yet another phase of insurance as an Independent Insurance Agent, Fred Melancon Insurance Agency, until his time of retirement in 1996 and was a mentor for Melancon/Montesano Insurance for more than three years then finally hung that hat. He was honored by many awards and he then opened a reception facility, Lafayette Hall/Lafayette Receptions and Banquets/Jodi’s Café and Catering. It was one of his lifetime dreams of cooking and entertaining. He then retired and gave reins to his beautiful daughter and son-in-law in 2009. Fred’s passion since 1955 had been music, starting off with a guitar and amp that his dad bought him. He played from 1962 until 1971 with various bands over the USA. He gave up music in 1983 when he became a disc jockey. Since that time he had played at thousands of private parties throughout the south. His love for music had extended into a singing pass time in February 2002 when he began to sing at retirement homes. It gave him great satisfaction bringing a smile to the resident’s faces. Like the song goes, “Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella.” He became a disc jockey on 101.1 KBON at the beginning of 2010. It was a lifelong dream to be a disc jockey on a radio station, but it was short lived due to his illness.

Fred served as a past Vice President of the Lafayette Parish Insurance Exchange, the Past President, Secretary and Treasurer of AARP 4197. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, past President, Vice President and Honor Guard of VVA Hill 141. Fred also served as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President and President of Lafayette Optimist Club and Rookie of the Year and Optimist of the Year. He volunteered for the Jerry Lewis Telethon for about ten years. He was very giving of his time to non-profit organizations. He donated his time cooking for the Top 28 Basketball and donated disc jockey services for many organizations in the Lafayette area to help support their needs. He made friends with Lafayette Sertoma Club and would work along side of them. He would cater and disc jockey when the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds were here. He even would travel to New Orleans and Pensacola, FL just to help.

Fred enjoyed traveling. The best times he and his wife spent together were just taking off enjoying sites and taking in all God had created in this great nation. Their travels took them to South America, Hawaii, Germany, Austria, Italy, Mexico and Canada. They covered most of the U.S. from California to New York and Alaska to Florida. Life was good and God blessed him with loving family and friends. No man could ask for more.

Survivors include his wife of forty one years, Sandra Johnson Melancon of Lafayette; one son, Joseph D. Melancon of Baton Rouge; one daughter, Jodi Melancon Snelling and her husband, Steven, of Carencro; one precious grandson, Joshua Allen Snelling; his father, Joseph M. Guidroz; two sisters, Brenda Guidroz DeMette and her husband, Harry, and Gwen Guidroz, all of Lafayette; one brother, Alvin Guidroz and his wife, Linda, of Arnaudville; four half brothers, Anthony Melancon and his wife, Lisa, Carol Melancon and his wife, Crystal, Johnny Melancon and his wife, Tina, all of New Iberia and Tommy Melancon of Shreveport; one half sister, Suzette Melancon Bourque and her husband, Raymond of New Iberia; numerous nieces and nephews; and one very special Godson, Scotty Melancon.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Necess Melancon and the former Joycelyn Rabeaux; two brothers, M. James Melancon and Michael Melancon; and one sister, Sandra Melancon Tassin.

A rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. Thursday in the funeral home.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed from 1:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Thursday and will continue from 8:00 a.m. until service time on Friday.

Pallbearers will be Scotty Melancon, Tony Melancon, Carol Melancon, Tommy Melancon, Zachary Johnson and Alvin Guidroz. Honorary pallbearers will be Joseph Melancon, Johnny Melancon, Harry DeMette, Barry Johnson, Earl Ryan, Charles Landry, Kenneth Dempsey, Brandon Albert, Alton Barras, Harry Albert, Gail Broussard and the Honor Guard of Vietnam Veterans Hill 141.

Melancon Funeral Home, Evangeline Memorial Gardens Chapel, 4117 N. University Ave., Carencro, (337) 896-3232, is in charge of arrangements.