On Sunday morning, Sept. 21, 2025, Mr. James Russell Cart, at the age of 89, left his earthly dwelling and flew quickly to heaven to join his wife, daughter, and many of his departed loved ones.
Mr. Cart was born in Tepetate, a small Cajun settlement near where Iota is today. Anyone from Iota, La. knows that the Cart family is practically royalty there. The town, first known as Cartville, was founded and settled by Mr. Cart’s great-great-grandparents. He loved the cemetery there and made frequent trips to visit and keep up his dear grandparents’ graves.
He was born the oldest of two children to his parents, Aaron and Inez Cart. He and his sister, Shelby, lived a wonderful life growing up in Crowley and spending lots of time with family in Iota and Baton Rouge. Russell grew up at his parents’ side running a neighborhood grocery store. He was always a hard worker and a gifted athlete. Baseball and football were his first loves. He played hard, respected his coaches, and always worked to get better. It’s no secret where the athleticism in this family came from. Pop didn’t like school very much, but he had to succeed in school in order to play sports and he had goals to reach. He wanted to be a coach. His football talent earned him a full athletic scholarship to USL in Lafayette. But, after surviving summer workouts and rigorous training, he was found to be internally injured and physically unfit to continue with the team. No football, no school. He left college and set out to get a job because he was in love and ready to marry his high school sweetheart.
He immediately went to work for Westinghouse Corporation in Baton Rouge in 1957. After settling there, he called for his bride to join him. After 13 years and five children, he moved his family to Lake Charles to continue working for Westinghouse. After a few years there, he moved his employment to Olin Chemicals in Westlake. He was a trained electrician who worked with the plant’s motor repair and maintenance crew. He retired from Olin in 1996. As the years passed, he spent his time after work coaching baseball and football. As a volunteer little league and school coach, he inspired and trained many young men to be great athletes. Using his kind smile, his strong work ethic, and love of the games, he found a way to fulfill his dream of being a coach. There were few places he could go in Lake Charles where he didn’t run into one of the boys he had coached over so many years. He lived long enough to hear the wonderful things these boys, now men, would say about how much he taught them and how much they enjoyed being on his team. After coaching younger boys for many years, he followed Rusty and Kevin to Barbe High School where he became very involved and active in the Buccaneer Booster Club. Mr. Cart enjoyed being a huge part of the sideline “Chain Gang” and the pressbox cooking crew. He was the first person to mow the new football field and worked diligently every week during football season to maintain the field he was so proud of. For 30 years his smiling face always added a joyful spirit of optimism at all BHS athletic events.
He was a well-known Cajun cook and homemade biscuit maker. Many people of all walks of life can say they have eaten his cooking either at a Barbe game or in the famous “Casket Cafe”. Another love of his was yardwork and mowing grass. At one time, he managed and mowed 20-25 yards. He easily shared this love of yard maintenance with his children and grandchildren. Pop loved his lawnmower, a bright red Gravely zero turn. He actually mowed his yard as recently as four weeks ago.
He and Bobbie shared a wonderful life following Barbe HS sports, McNeese football, and they always enjoyed LSU sports. They traveled the country and made many treasured memories with their friends and family members. Blue shirts for Barbe, cowboy hats and boots for McNeese, purple and gold for LSU, and even orange and blue for the Astros. After Bobbie passed away three years ago, these things kept him going, his large loving family, his precious dog, Tucker, the Astros, LSU sports, and the New Orleans Saints.
When he began to slow down, driving privileges were lost, but he held tightly to his mowing machine. We all knew that when he could no longer mow his yard, his days on earth were numbered. As he left us to happily join Mom and Renee, it was bittersweet for us. He finally got his wish. He got to move on and receive his reward in heaven. We are so blessed to have had this sweet man with us for so long. God truly blessed him with a peaceful death surrounded by his loved ones.
We believe that our Pop will be a legend in these parts. He was a simple man that lived out his faith with love of family, love of God, and service to his community. Russell was a true Cajun. He and Bobbie were founding members of the Cajun French Music Association. They were gifted dancers, loving to jitterbug, waltz, and Cajun Two-step. Everyone loved to watch them take the floor. Russell lived well, loved well, and set the best example for his children. He proved that a little man with bright blue eyes and a high school education, can leave a legacy as rich and full as any man of greater means.
Mr. Russell was preceded in death by his parents, Aaron and Inez Lantz Cart; his loving wife, Bobbie Latiolais Cart, and his daughter, Sherry Renee Cart Lyons. Left to cherish sweet memories of him are his sister, Shelby Cart Lafleur of Lafayette; his daughters, Kimberly Cart Ardoin (CJ) and Kristi Cart Fontenot (Matt); sons, Rusty Cart (Susan) and Kevin Cart (Michele), and son-in-law, Steve Lyons, all of the Lake Charles area. His legacy also includes 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank his three devoted sitters, Doritha, Marie, and Amy.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Heaven with a graveside service to follow at Consolata Cemetery. Monsignor Daniel Torres will serve as celebrant. Visitation will take place on Wednesday Sept. 24, 2025 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
If you would like to honor Mr. Cart with a contribution, please love your spouse, love your children, never be afraid of hard work, and always lend a hand to teach a child good Christian values.
