MR. WALTER JAMES BATISTE SR., 80 WALTER J. BATISTE SR WAS BORN TO MILTON AND EDNA WHEELER BATISTE ON MARCH 5, 1934 IN LAWTELL, LA., WHERE HE GREW UP AND ATTENDED SCHOOL. WALTER ACCEPTED CHRIST AT AN EARLY AGE. HE WAS A MEMBER OF ST JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH FOR MANY YEARS. WALTER WAS UNITED IN HOLY MATRIMONY TO THE LATE MAUDRY BATISTE AND TO THIS UNION SIX CHILDREN WERE BORN. WALTER WAS A LOVING HUSBAND, FATHER, BROTHER, GRANDFATHER, GREATGRANDFATHER, FATHER-IN-LAW AND FRIEND. HE WAS A SUPERVISOR AT THORNWELL WAREHOUSE FOR 47 YEARS. HE ENJOYED GARDENING, FISHING, HUNTING, CANNING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. "OKRA" WAS HIS FAVORITE TO CAN. EVERYONE KNEW WALTER "BOOKIE" J. BATISTE SR. BY HIM GOING AROUND THE COMMUNITY SELLING HUNDREDS OF BARBEQUE TICKETS AT A TIME FOR HIS CHURCH AND BAZARRS. BEFORE HIS HEALTH STARTED TO FAIL, HE SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME IN HIS YARD PLANTING GARDENS AND TENDING TO HIS FLOWERS, MAKING SURE EVERYTHING LOOKED NICE AND NEAT. HE LEAVES TO CHERISH HIS LOVING MEMORIES, HIS WIFE OF 18 YEARS BETTY ANN GREIS BATISTE OF WELSH, LA; HIS THREE SONS, MILTON (TERESSA) BATISTE OF LAKE CHARLES, LA., JAMES (BARBARA) BATISTE OF LAFAYETTE, LA., WALTER J. (KAREN) BATISTE JR. OF IOTA, LA; HIS STEP SON, DWAYNE (VELTA) VINEY OF JENNINGS, LA; TWO DAUGHTERS, MARY V. BATISTE OF HOUSTON, TX. AND EMILY (JARVIS) DAIGLE OF PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK; THREE STEP DAUGHTERS, RACHEL GREIS AND STEPHANIE (ALBERT) ARCENEAUX OF WELSH, LA.,FRANCES (GEORGE) TARVER OF HOUSTON, TX; FOUR BROTHERS, HOWARD BATISTE AND ROBERT (ROSA M.) BATISTE, ALL OF BEAUMONT, TX., JOHN (MIMA) BATISTE OF SOMERS, CT. AND MILTON (AUDREY) BATISTE JR. OF SPRINGFIELD, MASS; 17-GRANDCHILDREN, 15 GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, 9 STEP- GRANDCHILDREN AND 14 STEP-GRANDCHILDREN AND A HOST OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, RELATIVES AND FRIENDS. HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS FIRST WIFE, MAUDRY BATISTE; HIS PARENTS, MILTON AND EDNA WHEELER BATISTE; DAUGHTER, MARIE SIMON; TWO SISTERS, ANNA BELLE LANDOR AND WILLIE MAE BATISTE; ONE BROTHER, IRVIN BATISTE. FUNERAL SERVICES ARE SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2014 AT ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WELSH, LA. WITH FATHER CELSIUS OFFOR OFFICIATING. VISITATION WILL BE FROM 8:00 A.M. UNTIL TIME OF FUNERAL MASS. BURIAL WILL BE IN THE BON PASTEUR CEMETERY IN WELSH, LA. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF SEMIEN-LEWIS MORTUARY OF JENNINGS, LA.