Theogene "TJ" Joseph Blanchard
October 27, 1939 - March 20, 2024

Theogene "TJ" Joseph Blanchard, age 84, of Pierre Part, LA, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. TJ was born October 27, 1939 in Pierre Part, LA to the late Noe and Noelie Blanchard. He was the youngest of three children. TJ is preceded in death by his brother, Floyd Blanchard and sister Beatrice Tullier.

TJ’s more than 35-year career working for McDermott began at the company’s Morgan City shipyard and led to his family relocating to Scotland for more than 15 years. His career allowed him to travel to places such as London, Paris, Germany, Spain, Norway, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, St. Petersburg, Moscow. Sakhalin, Azerbaijan, Tokyo, and China. Eventually TJ moved back to the United States to McDermott’s New Orleans office from which he retired. Following his career with McDermott, he launched his own company, Blanchard and Associates International, Inc., serving companies such as Performance Contractors and Dynamic Industries. He retired again in 2020.

TJ had an infectious personality and was a friend (or cousin) to everyone who knew him. TJ was very active in the community. He was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, founder of the Pierre Part Belle River Genealogical Society, board member of the Pierre Part Belle River Museum and of the Assumption Parish Library, as well as a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Atchafalaya Chapter. He was a devout Catholic who lived his faith as an active parishioner of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Pierre Part. He was a lector and a member of the choir, the King's Men, and a Come Lord Jesus Group. In addition, he annually attended the Manresa House of Retreats.

In his spare time, TJ enjoyed the outdoors, especially fishing. Whether it was fly-fishing for salmon, searching the marsh for trout or running jug lines for choupique in the bayou, he loved being on the water. TJ also loved hunting pheasants and other wild birds on his travels. He had an expansive genealogy library with many of his ancestry finds going back more than 500 years. He was very proud of his Acadian heritage and would speak French whenever he had the opportunity. He was an avid collector of antique curios, including vintage gasoline, single-piston engines which he loved to restore and exhibit, as well as his little-known stamp, coin, and paper clip collections. TJ would never pass up a good do-it-yourself project. He conducted several house rebuilds, camp renovations, and new shed and fence constructions employing his unique “character building” methods. When things settled down, TJ could be found reading a good book or having a nice glass of wine and a cigar while on his porch swing.

TJ was happy when surrounded by friends and family, enjoying a good meal followed by stories about his many adventures. However, some of his greatest joy came from spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren who called him Papére.

He leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife of 33 years, Liane Combe Blanchard; six children: Dana Blanchard (Ruth), André Blanchard, Lisa McCarthy (Tim), Leslie Hagan (Mike), Lindsey Taconi (Scott), and Landry Dugan (Liz); 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, cousins, and innumerable friends.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his honor to the Pierre Part Belle River Museum, P.O. Box 525, Pierre Part, LA 70339 (Venmo: @PPBR-Museum)