Local commercial builder Manning Francis “Bozo” Billeaud Jr. has died at age 88, according to Martin and Castille Funeral Home.The following is a Billeaud’s obituary from the funeral home:

Funeral services for Manning Francis “Bozo” Billeaud Jr. will be held at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on Saturday, January 30, 2016, at 1:00 PM.

Burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Martin & Castille Funeral Home’s Southside location, 600 East Farrel Road, Lafayette, LA 70508 on Friday from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Saturday from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM.

A rosary will be held  on Friday at 6:00 PM in the funeral home.

He died at his home surrounded by family members on Thursday, January 28, 2016. He was 88.

Bozo was a commercial builder and father of 17 children. He was a grandfather of 28 children and great-grandfather of seven children.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Marie Louise Martin Billeaud, who died 17 months before Bozo. The couple was married for nearly 65 years.

Bozo, a native of Lafayette, was the child of Manning Francis Billeaud Sr. and Jeanne Mouton Billeaud. He attended elementary school and junior high at Cathedral School and graduated high school from St. Joseph Seminary College, also known as St. Ben’s Seminary, near Covington.

He served in the U.S. Navy on an infantry support vessel in the final months of World War II. After completing his military service, he earned a civil engineering degree from Louisiana State University.

In 1948, he began working alongside two uncles at J.B. Mouton and Sons, the now-fifth-generation construction business founded by J. B. Mouton, his maternal grandfather.

He worked for the company for 55 years, including 22 years as its president, until his retirement in 2003. During his career, the company completed about 300 building projects, including construction of Chase Tower, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Broussard.

He also held leadership positions in the Association of General Contractors and was instrumental in consolidating the industry group’s chapters across Louisiana that had previously been run independently.

He also served on the board of the Billeaud Companies for many years.

He served as a national governor of the Serra Club, a Catholic group that promotes the priesthood and religious life.

He was also a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and a member of the governing board for Our Lady of Fatima School.

Bozo was preceded in death by two sons, Edward J. Billeaud and Martin F. Billeaud.

His surviving children are Jeanne Billeaud, Louise Fryklund, Robert Paul Billeaud, Manning F. Billeaud III, Suzanne Hebert, Andre Billeaud, Valerie Billeaud, Marguerite Fisher, Therese LeBlanc, Lawrence Billeaud, Claire Billeaud, Philip Billeaud, Germaine Gjertson, Jacques Billeaud and Nicole Billeaud.

Bozo’s grandchildren are Stevie Billeaud, Stuart Billeaud, Brennan Billeaud, Chrissy Billeaud, Shannon Billeaud, Meghan DeCuir, Joel Hebert, Ben Hebert, Ooti Billeaud, Louis Billeaud, Giacomo Billeaud, Andree Gonsoulin, Zachary Gonsoulin, Alix Gonsoulin, Jacques Gonsoulin, Joshua Fisher, Courtney Fisher, Erin Fisher, Ethan Billeaud, Quinn Billeaud, Derek Guidry, Andre Paul Guidry, Luke Guidry, Alex Gjertson, Elise Gjertson, Emile Poncelet, Louis Rolfes III and John T. Rolfes.

His great-grandchildren are Bennett Billeaud, Kate Billeaud, Kaye Leigh LaVergne, Hadley and Hayes Hebert, Caroline Rolfes and Molly Rolfes.

Other survivors include Louis Rolfes II, Robert Fryklund, Marcelle Billeaud, Debbie Cortese, Barney Hebert, Jennifer Steele, Harold Schoeffler, Jr., Bryan LeBlanc, Michele Billeaud, Geoff Gjertson, Georgia Daspit, Robert Poncelet, Keisha Romero Billeaud, Aimee Biessenberger Billeaud and Alicia Wade Hebert.

The Billeaud family would like to thank longtime caregivers Albertha Alfred and Louella Cormier for their many years of love and support.  The family also is thankful for the help and many kindnesses of caregivers Regina Gabriel, Rose Roussell, Melanie Davis, Lucretia Richard and Leah Bruno.  We would also like to thank Hospice of Acadiana and Joanne Harrington for the special care they provided.

The Mass and Funeral Service will be conducted by the Rev. Chester Arceneaux, Pastor of Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist of Lafayette. The Concelebrant of the Funeral Mass will be  Rev. Msgr. Richard von Phul Mouton. Readings will be delivered by Claire Billeaud and Suzanne Hebert, while Jacques Billeaud and Nicole Billeaud will serve as gift bearers. The eulogy will be delivered by Therese LeBlanc. Singer Raymond Hebert and organist Tom Neil will perform “On Eagle’s Wings”, “Psalm 23″, “Ave Maria”, “Panis Angelicus”, “Pie Jesu” and “J’irai La Voir Un Jour”.

Pallbearers are Robert Paul Billeaud, Manning F. Billeaud III, Andre Billeaud, Lawrence Billeaud, Philip Billeaud and Jacques Billeaud.