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Larry H. Arcement, Sr., SMSGT, USAF ret, 83, passed to eternal life on Tuesday, March 25, 2014, after several years of progressively deteriorating health. Larry was born in Morgan City, LA on June 28, 1930 to Dewey Anthony Arcement, Sr and Maggie Driskill Arcement, the third child born into a family that would ultimately grow to ten siblings. He graduated from E. Broussard High School in Cow Island, LA in 1947, and immediately set out to make his mark in the world by joining the U.S. Army Air Force, which was then transitioning to the U.S. Air Force. He married his High School sweetheart, and mother of his children, Janie Lee Hebert, in November 1950, and they began their life journey together. Larry's 21 year military career took him to a number of domestic and overseas assignments where he developed life-long friendships: Texas, Illinois, Aleutian Islands, Iwo Jima, Guam, Mississippi, Louisiana, Washington State and Colorado. During his military career, Larry and Janie raised five children. To be sure, supporting a family of seven on a military salary was indeed challenging and enduring life lessons were learned as a result of this experience; foremost among these was the need for exercising frugality in personal financial management. Larry was very proud of his Air Force service, and the Air Force was good to him. He received excellent technical training in the communications-electronics field including, radio, radar, space systems, digital equipment, solid state devices, integrated circuits and transistors. At his retirement in 1968, he was a Ground Radar Superintendent Space Systems, at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, WA and held the rank of Senior Master Sergeant. Following retirement he moved to Texas to work for NASA in Houston TX. Larry once reflected that the most valuable training he received in the Air Force, which impacted the rest of his life, was a series of courses he attended as military recruiting officer in Lafayette, LA in 1955: the USAF Recruiter Course, the Elmer Wheeler Sales Course and the Dale Carnegie Sales Course. In those courses and other training opportunities, Larry discovered he had a natural talent for commercial sales. Beginning his civilian career in Houston, Larry quickly put his technical knowledge and salesmanship skills to work achieving outstanding results. As Sales Manager for Southwest Electronics, an electronic components distributor, he increased sales from $300K to $1.2M; as Vice President and Regional Manager for Norvell Electronics, he increased sales from $468K to $3.5M; as District Manager for Burr Brown Research Corporation, he was responsible for all sales in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma, with sales in the millions of dollars. Lessons learned in private industry and his innate sense of investment strategy prompted Larry to open highly successful business ventures, the first being Beltway Office Supply in Houston, followed by Beltway Enterprises Trucking Company in San Antonio. Owning his own business and working for himself was Larry's ultimate satisfaction. Larry set very high standards for himself and others. He broke every sales record and met every sales challenge. He had the magic touch of a superb craftsman and salesmanship was his forte. He also learned the art of shrewd and tenacious negotiation; he once promptly walked out of a car dealership after haggling with a hapless salesman over a $25 price dispute! Many who knew Larry well believe he negotiated his way through Heaven's Gate and was holding out for the best deal before finally deciding to make the trip! Larry converted to the Catholic faith in 1986, no doubt due to the many prayers of his persistent first wife, Janie. He served as Hospitality Minister, Communion Minister and was a Member of the Men's Club until his health began to fail. Following his final retirement in 1997, Larry and Valerie traveled to Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. But that wasn't enough so they took to an RV and toured the US and Canada. Larry continued to find enjoyment in his military training as a radio operator and renewed his W5CQE Ham radio license. He was a proud member of the AACS Alumni Association. The family is especially grateful for Larry's wife of nearly 28 years, Valerie Chaplain Arcement, who was vigilant by his side during very difficult times as his health declined. In addition, Larry leaves behind five children: Judy Bedar, Debra Rick Bearden, Larry Hugh Kathy Arcement, Jr., CAPT, USN ret, Connie Kevin Flynn, and Brian K. Renee Arcement, LT, USN ret. Also surviving are four sisters and one brother: Patricia Guidry, Peggy Hebert, Martha McCool, Susan Welch and Ned Arcement, plus seven grand children and four great grand children, with two great-grands on-the-way. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife of 35 years, Janie, half- brother, Kenneth Dunnagan; sister, Carolyn Conner, brother, Dewey Arcement, Jr and brother, Richard "Dickie" Arcement. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 4201 DeZavala Rd, San Antonio TX, on April 24 at 10:30 am, followed by a reception in Henke Hall. Interment with military honors will be accorded at 1:30 pm at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. If you wish to make a charitable donation in Larry's memory, you are welcome to choose a charity of your choice or consider Mobile Loaves And Fishes or St Vincent DePaul, both St Francis of Assisi ministries.

Tributes

Larry Arcement

June 28, 1930 - March 25, 2014