Dr. John R. LeBlanc, Jr.

Dr. John R. LeBlanc, 87, passed away on July 12, 2018.

He was born on September 20, 1930, in Texarkana, Texas, and grew up in Iowa, Louisiana, where he was a star athlete in high school and top sprinter at the state level. He earned degrees in music from McNeese University, Louisiana State University, and his master’s in music composition from Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth. He earned his PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi.

John and his beloved wife Edie were married in 1952. After continuing their education and waiting to enlarge their family, John and Edie happily welcomed the arrival of their daughter, Theresa René, who they knew blessed and enriched their lives. The family continued to grow when René and Dr. Roger Jones married and with the arrival of John and Edie’s dear, precious grandchildren, Colin and Chloe.

In the 1950s, John served in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Ord in California and at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. While in the service, he performed with an Army military band unit. When he was in the army, John especially enjoyed the fellowship of the members of First Baptist Church in Devine, Texas, where he was minister of music. After the army, he was called to be music minister at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Specializing in instrumental and choral music, John taught both high school and college choir. He took the Baton Rouge High School A Cappella Choir to Washington, D.C., where they performed in the Cherry Blossom Parade. He and this choir toured many places representing the state of Louisiana. John also conducted music clinics throughout the South. He taught at Northwestern University in Nachitoches, Louisiana, and from 1970 until his retirement in the early 1990s, he was a music professor at Lamar University in Beaumont. At Lamar John directed the A Cappella Choir, the Lamar University Grand Choir, and the Cardinal Singers. This latter group was one of three chosen to perform overseas by the United States where the U.S. Army Berlin Brigade awarded John and the Singers “Guardians of Berlin’s Freedom” for traveling behind the iron curtain through East Berlin to perform in West Berlin prior to the reunification of Germany. The Singers also performed at Congressman Jack Brooks’ invitation at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Later, John created and directed the Lamar University Shades of Cardinal singing group and acted for a short time as chair of the Music Department. Finally, having always been interested in education, John moved from choral work to guide Lamar’s master’s degree in music education program.

During this time, John served as interim minister of music at Calder Baptist Church and First Baptist Church in Nederland and directed choirs at several area churches. John also led the Beaumont Interfaith Choral Society in its 16th Annual Concert.

In addition to music, throughout his life John greatly enjoyed fishing, duck hunting, travel (including RV travel), reading, archaeology, clock-making, and chess. He was a fan of good food, good books, good movies, good conversation with friends and family, and all sports–especially Lamar, LSU, and Dallas Cowboys’ football.

John and Edie were longtime members of Calder Baptist Church in Beaumont, Texas, and members of the Mixed Doubles Bible Study Class.

John was pre-deceased by his parents, John Reader LeBlanc, Sr. and Alice McClendon LeBlanc. He is survived by wife Edith Strother LeBlanc, to whom he was married for 65 years; daughter René and husband Dr. Roger Jones of New Braunfels; two grandchildren, Chloe LeBlanc and Colin Jones; sister Eloise Sheffield of Baton Rouge; and seventeen nieces and nephews.

He will be remembered by all as an intelligent, loving, and deeply Christian man who enjoyed life, loved his church, family, and friends, and approached living with zest, acuity, astute attention, and keen curiosity. He will be profoundly missed.

A gathering of Dr. LeBlanc’s family and friends will begin at 9:30 a.m., with his funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m., Monday, July 16, 2018, at Calder Baptist Church 1005 North 11th Street, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. His interment will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches.

Memorial contributions for Dr. LeBlanc may be made to Calder Baptist Choir Scholarship Fund, 1005 North 11th Street, Beaumont, Texas 77702.