JOSEPH CHAMPAGNE, JR.

08/06/1923 - 10/27/2022

On Thursday, October 27th, 2022, Joseph Onezime (J.O.) Champagne, Jr., loving husband and father, passed away at the age of 99.

J.O. was born on August 6, 1923 in Breaux Bridge, LA to Joseph O. Champagne,

Sr. and Marie Periou. After graduation from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served in World War

II as a Gunner’s Mate, 2nd Class, on the USS Munda (CVE-104) from September 1943 to May 1946. Returning to Louisiana after the war, he enrolled in machinist school and worked in Crowley, LA until he moved to Houston in the late 1940s.

J.O. went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone in early 1951 and would eventually retire there after 35 years of service. In 1957, he went on a blind date with Jean Stensley, and they married on November 16th, 1957. They raised one daughter, Renee.

Keeping busy in retirement was easy as J.O. had many passions which included woodworking, gardening, classical music, wooden ship models, and reading. He was a gentle and quiet man who volunteered his time at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Telephone Pioneers, and who was a docent at the Houston Zoo for almost 20 years. J.O. always said that Houston had been very good to him so he wanted to give back.

J.O. was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jean, his father, Joseph, his mother, Marie, two brothers, Sidney and Marcel, along with one sister, Oline Domingues. He is survived by his daughter, Renee Champagne, his grandson, Ryan K. Chriss (Shravanthi Gummadi), and great granddaughter, Neela.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, November 11th, 2022 at Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel (St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church), 6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, TX 77025 at 10 o’clock a.m. Donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org.