"AJ” Amelius Joseph Bourgeois

“AJ” Amelius Joseph Bourgeois, 99, was called home to his Heavenly Father on Monday, November 10, 2025. He was a day early to celebrate with his wife, Anita, on her first heavenly Veterans Day birthday. While listening to the rosary, AJ passed peacefully in his Texas City home, where he had been cared for by his daughters and a family friend.

As the youngest of 5 boys, AJ was born on February 18, 1926, in Lutcher, Louisiana. With his brother Floyd, he was raised in Baton Rouge by his Aunt and Uncle, along with their three daughters after his mother passed in November 1927. After graduating from Istrouma High School, AJ joined his brother “Bud” to work for the Higgins Boat Company as an Acetylene Burner, cutting plating and fixtures for ship construction in New Orleans.

At 18, he served two years in the US Army from 1944 to 1946, as a telephone and telegraph lineman in the 4025th Signal Service Group, stationed in the Philippines, supervising a team of linemen for maintenance and repair between military installations in the last days of WWII.

Life changed after the war when AJ met and fell in love with his beautiful life-long partner, Anita Miller, taking their vows on September 5, 1948, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church of East Baton Rouge, Louisiana. They started their married life in the garage apartment of his aunt and uncle's house, before building their own home when he worked for Esso and Ethyl in Baton Rouge. AJ was also a veteran of the US Naval Reserves, serving four more years. 1962 brought an economic recession and unemployment until he moved his family to Texas City to begin work at Monsanto as an insulator and asbestos worker. For many years, AJ served as a union representative and was a convention delegate for the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Asbestos Workers.

AJ’s favorite “seasonal job” was working as a security guard on the very top row of the LSU football stadium, home of the Fighting Tigers. His neighbor was Billy Cannon, LSU football legend and friend, and he didn’t let you forget it. Known as dad, daddy, Uncle AJ, or Papa, he taught us all how to hit and throw a baseball or softball, how to fish, how to catch crawfish, how to shoot a BB gun, and at the age of 85 he even showed us how he could still ride a bike while facing backwards. His competitive streak flourished when he taught us how to play jacks and checkers; we never won. Whenever he coached a team, adult or child, he took them to the championship…three times.

His devotion to family, friends, work, community, and faith was exemplary. AJ volunteered tirelessly as a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Monsanto Silvertones, Habitat for Humanity, and the Texas City La Marque Chamber of Commerce Golden Division. He especially enjoyed the camaraderie of the Men’s Club for St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, whether ushering at Mass or cutting the grass at the church or helping in the many church or school fundraising activities. He and Anita enjoyed their membership in the Amoco Platinum Club and their travels around the country, even taking up snow skiing in their retirement years. As a civic minded volunteer, AJ was a board member under two mayoral administrations, for Chuck Doyle and Carlos Garza. He kept busy in retirement, cleaning his purple martin bird houses, mostly devising ways to keep the sparrows out of them! He also helped with the annual cleaning of bird houses at City Hall and Bay Street Park. In his backyard gardens, he harvested bumper crops of tomatoes that gave a sense of pride, mostly for bragging rights.

AJ was preceded in death by his wife of 76 years, Anita Miller Bourgeois; his mother, Elmire Haydel Bourgeois, and father, Francis Victor Bourgeois; his four brothers, “Lutcher” Francis Anthony Bourgeois, “Bud” Edward Joseph Bourgeois, “Snow” Robert Joseph Bourgeois, and Floyd Anthony Bourgeois; and his beloved son-in-law, Arthur Paul Amato.

He is survived by his three children: daughter, Belinda Bourgeois Amato of Slidell, Louisiana; daughter, Debra Bourgeois DesMarteau (Steve) of Centennial, Colorado; son, Kenneth Bourgeois (Carmen) of Spring Hill, Tennessee. He leaves 10 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren: Brandon Amato (Mandy) (Izzy, Max, Rex); Greg Amato (Ana) (Ceci, Elena); Jason Amato (Kelsey) (Bowen, Josephine); Patrick DesMarteau (Ashlyn) (Grady, Callan, Tara); Matthew DesMarteau (Melinda); Eric DesMarteau; Sean DesMarteau (Ellesse) (Avery, Tyler, Landon); John Bourgeois (Ezekiel, Jaxon, Annabelle, Mikayla); Katheryn Bourgeois Padilla (Terryl (Nevaeh, Atlas); Tiffany Bourgeois (Sabella). He is also survived by a number of treasured nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends and loved ones on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church, in Texas City, Texas, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with a memorial mass to follow at 11:00 a.m. There will be a reception at St. Mary's Ponzini Hall immediately after the mass.

Always the life of the party, AJ was blessed to share laughter with so many loving friends. Please accept our heartfelt thanks to each of you for your thoughts, prayers, and many kindnesses, especially Veverly Sumlin, the Michael E. DeBakey VA Home Based Primary Care Team, and Living Hope Hospice. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Men’s Club or Knights of Columbus of St. Mary of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church in Texas City, or to a charity of your choice.