Francisco D. Ochoa

Nov, 16, 1935 - April 1, 2008

Funeral services will be held Thursday, April 3, 2008, at 2 p.m. at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home for Francisco D. Ochoa, 72, who passed away Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at LTAC of Acadiana in Lafayette, La.

Interment will follow in Fountain Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette.

Mr. Ochoa's children will officiate and conduct the funeral services.

Mr. Francisco "Dad" Ochoa was a devoted husband and father, but more importantly he loved and served the Lord. He was born in Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico, the youngest of five siblings. There he married the love of his life, his partner and confidante Bertha Alicia "Mom"; they had seven wonderful children. He migrated to the state of Washington to look for work and together with his family traveled in 1970 in search of a better future for his family. Mr. Ochoa valued education and hard work and thus instilled strong values of integrity, faith, and honor in all of his children. Dad was a man of God and he served the Lord unselfishly and started a ministry that has changed many lives in Washington and also in Louisiana. Mr. Ochoa, along with his life partner and several of his sons soon traveled to Lafayette, La., where his work for and love for the Lord continued.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Bertha Alicia Padilla Ochoa; seven children, daughters Bertha O. Drenth and her husband Richard, and Maria Lourdes "Lulu" Saenz and her husband Jose Angel; sons Francisco "Paco" Ochoa and his wife Juanita, Luis Alberto "Pol" and his wife Cassandra, Miguel Angel and his wife Lizzette "LuLy," Oscar Jamie "Caro" and his wife Linda, and Juan "Canelo" Ochoa and his wife Caroline; 23 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents Francisco and Inocencia Ochoa, and one brother, Juan Pablo Ochoa.

The family requests that visiting hours at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home be observed from 9 a.m. until time of services on Thursday, April 3, 2008.

Pallbearers will be Steven and Alberto Juarez, Frank "Guero" Ochoa, David A. Ochoa, Luis A. Ochoa Jr., Juan David Ochoa, Dustin F. Ochoa, Miguel Angel Ochoa, Jose Angel "Joey" Saenz, and Jesus Daniel Ochoa.

A special thank you to the staff of LTAC of Acadiana for the excellent care given to Mr. Ochoa during his time of illness.

To view online obituary and guestbook, go to www.fountainmemorialfuneralhome.com.