DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE, L.a. — Dozens gathered at St. John's Cathedral Monday to say a final goodbye to a pillar in the community.
Raymond Blanco, known by many simply as "Coach."
"He was always full of action, full of fun, but always heart in the right place, and always found a way to make great things happen," Shawn Wilson, secretary for DOTD, said.
And Wilson isn't the only one to feel this way.
"I will tell you that he also made a pretty good Old Fashioned, and he showed me how to do that, and as good as it was, the conversation was even better," Louisiana State Gov. John Bel Edwards said.
"He was bigger than life and the Blanco family is such a special family to Louisiana, to Acadiana, and both are sorely missed," Elizabeth Picard, a long-time friend of the family, told KATC.
Anyone who knew him would tell you Blanco was many things: a father, friend, football coach, and former First Gentleman for the state. Still, those who took time to remember said he was a man always ahead of his time.
Mike Neustrom has known Blanco for the majority of his life. He told KATC that Coach was his guide to the gridiron starting at the ripe age of 12 years old. Through him, Neustrom said he also learned some of the harder lessons in life.
"He grew up in Birmingham, he grew up in kind of a racist environment," Neustrom said. "He was Spanish at the time, and his mother was — he was Italian so he suffered through discrimination and related very well to the civil rights movement of the 60s. That's how he could relate to everyone so well."
Later in life, this skill helped him pave his way to all-time career highs, not only for himself but as a supporter of his wife, former Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco.
"Being willing to be the huge personality and presence that he was, and being able to step back and support his wife in leadership, I think we couldn't ask for a better man in leadership than that," Katie Bernhardt, chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party, said.
But at the end of the day, those who knew him best say Coach was just that — "Coach" — even in his final moments.
"He kissed me on the head and he said, 'Life is like a football game, you get knocked down and sometimes it's really hard, and you still have to get up and you have to be ready for the next play, you just do,'" his daughter, Monique Blanco Boulet, said in a farewell speech to her father.
To view Coach Blanco's obituary or make a memorial contribution, you can click here.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
