Harold Simon Barras, Sr.

Abbeville - Funeral services for Mr. Harold Barras Sr., 95, will be held at David Funeral Home Chapel of Abbeville on Saturday January 16, 2021 at 2:00 PM, with Deacon Keith Duhon officiating.

Visitation will be held Saturday January 16, 2021 from 9:00 AM until time of services with a recitation of the Rosary at 11:00 AM . Interment will follow at St. Mary Magdalen Mausoleum.

Harold was a true pioneer who was born March 11, 1925 and raised during the depression era on the banks of Bayou Tigre. He worked with his family trapping and fishing in Bayou Tigre, Black Crook and Cameron.  His hobbies were hunting and fishing; He loved his camp on the Boston Canal in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  At the age of 18, he volunteered in World War II as a US Navy Gunner on the Liberty ships SS Fredrick C. Hicks and SS Peter Cartwright in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from 1943 to 1946.

After the war, he returned home, rolled up his sleeves and started his career in the boat business (Love of his life was boats). He started working on shrimp boats and bought his first boat the “Leona” in 1949. From then he would buy the boats, pay them off, then sell them to buy a bigger and better boat. In 1954 he built his first shrimp boat the “Miss Trinity Shoal” which was one of the largest and most modern shrimp boats in the Gulf of Mexico. Through the years he fished the entire Gulf of Mexico from Florida to the Bay of Campeche, Mexico.

During the 1950’s, the newest and hottest growing industry in the Gulf of Mexico was the oil and gas offshore drilling and production.  In 1956, Barras Boat Rentals Inc. as founded (the first offshore crew boat rental company in Vermilion Parish).  In 1957, he built his first steel hull crew boat the “Mr. Ernie” and from then there was no stopping him. He continued buying and building crew boats that were working throughout the Gulf of Mexico.  In late 1968 his biggest change happened when a new unknown company offered to buy him out to start their own company; this company was Offshore Logistics which became one of the largest boat companies in the world and branched out to Air Logistics.  Throughout his career, he owned more than 40 boats.  During his life, he was on the board on numerous economic development committees during the 1960’s through 1980’s.

Mr. Barras is survived by his children, Asa Barras, Tessie Bouillion and husband Calvin, and Harold Jr. (Hal) Barras and wife Margaret, 9 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild. He is also survived by his sister Thelma (Bing) Broussard and sister in law Flo Barras.

He is preceded in death by parents, Simon Barras and Thelma Schexnayder Barras, his wife of 72 years Eunice Trahan Barras, daughter Sandy Barras, brothers Palmer and Sam Barras, sister Linda Barras Boudreaux (Dalton), and brother-in-law Daniel Broussard.

The family would like to thank the staff and employees of Pelican Point Healthcare & Rehab and Traditions Health (Formerly Grace Hospice Palliative Care) for the wonderful care and support you have given to our dad and our family.

“In order to help keep the community safe we will honor the July 13, 2020 Louisiana Mandates.  All families and their guests are required to wear a face covering while at the funeral home. Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time.”

David Funeral Home 2600 Charity St Abbeville 337-893-3777 is in charge of arrangements