The Boogie King New Iberia - Funeral Services will be conducted for Mr. Ned H. Theall, Age 72, at 1:00PM Monday January 11, 2010 in the David Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Jeff Ables officiating. Visitation will be Sunday January 10, 2010 from 1:00PM until 10:00PM and again Monday from 8:00AM until services. Military graveside rites will be conducted by the U.S. Air Force. A native of Abbeville and a longtime resident of New Iberia, Mr. Theall died Friday January 8, 2010 at 8:20PM in a Lafayette hospital. Mr. Theall was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Ned Theall is best known as the long time band leader of The Fabulous Boogie Kings, the legendary hall of fame, blue-eyed soul band. He led the Boogie Kings from the 1950s through their most recent performance on New Years Eve 2010, just a short week ago. For over 60 years, he worked tirelessly and dedicated his life to a body of work that will not soon be duplicated or surpassed. Besides his family, his love of music and his incomparable talent lent itself to the genius that was Ned Theall. Through his horn, sax, composing and arranging he created a sound that was the soul of Louisiana which was his gift to the fans and musicians worldwide that he touched and inspired along the way. He wrote such songs as Philly Walk and I Love That Swamp Pop Music. He will be remembered as one of the greatest Louisiana musicians in history. He truly was The Boogie King . Survivors include his wife, Katherine Rene Koch Theall of New Iberia; children, Thad Theall of Maurice, Marty Theall of Erath, Bobbi Kaye Fontenot of Lafayette and Kimberli Kai Ridgeway of West Monroe and a step son, Deno Sonnier of Lake Charles; brothers, Gary Theall of Abbeville and Carl Theall of California and a sister June Grabill of Arkansas; grandchildren, Christopher, Sarah, Stephen, Jenna and Lyndi Theall, Natalee Boutte, Sidney Ridgeway and Silas Boutte and one great grandchild, Lyla Grace Theall. He was preceded in death by his parents, Neddy H. Theall and Enid Smith Guarino. Pallbearers will be his three grandsons, Chris and Stephen Theall and Silas Boutte and Jon Smith, Mark Klein and Matthew Schlenker. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Boogie Kings. David Funeral Home, 1101 Trotter St. New Iberia, La. (337)369-6336 is in charge of arrangements.
