Water Rails & Oil - Historic Mid & South Jefferson County

In the 1880s, Alex Broussard, owner of
A. Broussard Livery Stable, opened the first
family funeral parlor in Southeast Texas. As was
common, undertaking services evolved
naturally from livery establishments, since both
businesses required horses and carriages. As
Southeast Texas grew, thanks to logging and the
discovery of oil at Spindletop, Broussard’s first
wood-framed parlor was soon replaced by a
large brick facility in downtown Beaumont.
In the 1920s, Alex Broussard was succeeded
in the family business by his son, Dale. In the
fifties, the founder’s grandson and namesake,
Alex Broussard, and his brother James Broussard
joined the firm. By the early 1980s, the family
vocation was in its fourth generation when Jim
and Tom Broussard joined the company. Blue
Broussard, great-great grandson of the founder
has now established the fifth generation of
Broussard’s service to southeast Texas families.
Prestige in their field is evidenced by the
firm’s membership by invitation in the Selected
Independent Funeral Homes organization,
which consists of independent funeral directors
selected for membership based upon their high
standards of excellence. The firm was honored
in 2000 for over fifty years of membership and
service to the organization. Professional
recognitions for the Broussard family and staff
include two Governor Appointments and
Presidencies of the Texas Funeral Service
Commission, Board Members and Officers,
including President of Selected Independent
Funeral Homes, Texas Funeral Directors
Association, and Southeast Texas Funeral
Directors Association including two Funeral
Director of the Year accolades; and the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s Regional
Disaster Mortuary Team appreciation for
outstanding performance immediately following
the Oklahoma City bombing. In 1998,
Broussard’s was presented the inaugural Torch
Award for Marketplace Ethics by the Better
Business Bureau of Southeast Texas.
In 1995, Broussard’s acquired the former
Davis Funeral Home in Nederland. This facility
is located in a stately home built in 1912 by the
late Judge John McNeil, and has served as a
funeral home since 1945. Craig Melancon then
joined the Broussards to care for the families of
mid and South County, and in addition to his
dedication to Nederland, now serves as the
firms General Manager. Born and raised in Port
Arthur, Craig has received numerous accolades,
including “Small Business Person of the Year” by
the Nederland Chamber of Commerce, “Funeral
Director of the Year” by the Southeast Texas
Funeral Directors, and several state committees
with the Texas Funeral Directors Association.
The family has truly come full circle, now
serving all of Southeast Texas just as Alex
Broussard did over a hundred years ago. The
company has two facilities in Beaumont and
other locations in Kountze, Nederland, Silsbee,
and Winnie. Broussard’s has recently added its
own Crematorium to better serve families who
desire cremation, and to give them a nice family
atmosphere for a final committal.
BROUSSARD’S
MORTUARY
❖
Above: Craig Melancon.
Below: James Blue Broussard, III.
Sharing the Heritage ✦ 91