Mr. John Arceneaux

John Arceneaux - decorated military veteran and loving patriarch - died after a long, adventurous life in Columbia, South Carolina on August 11, 2025.

He was 85 years old. John Wallace Arceneaux was born on December 17, 1939 in Crowley, Louisiana, the son of Henritta Wilson and John Arceneaux. He grew up between Crowley and Houston, Texas, with his siblings Anna, Warren, and Rose Marie. He was a student of Crowley High School and an enthusiastic football player. John began dating childhood friend Geraldine Savoy of Crowley, shortly before enlisting in the military in 1961. The two married on January 7, 1965 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Beaumont, Texas. Married 59 years, four months and 5 days, together they traveled the United States and the world; making homes in Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Germany, and Panama as a military family. In 1967, the couple welcomed their first child, Ljubica into their home, and welcomed their second, Jerel, in 1974. Sergeant First Class John Arceneaux served in the United States Army for 26 years and nine months as a medic. After his retirement, he worked at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) at Fort Jackson in Columbia. While there, he helped usher generations of soldiers into careers of service. Recognitions of service bestowed upon him include a National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Expert Field Medical Badge, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Bar, and Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon. At the beginning of his career, he served as part of a military contingency that, at the request of the federal government, escorted James Meredith-the first African American student admitted to the racially segregated University of Mississippi in 1962-safely onto campus, standing firm against segregationists in defense of civil rights. In 1968, he served in Vietnam for one year as a field medic and leader of an ambulance platoon. A devout Christian, John called Saint Martin de Porres Catholic Church of Columbia his spiritual home and community. John is remembered by many for his love of gardening, the Dallas Cowboys, and Western movies. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and caretaker of his wife, Geraldine, during her valiant fight with cancer. He is preceded in death and awaited in heaven by his beloved wife, Geraldine; his paternal grandparents Stave Arceneaux and Selma Mason and his material grandparents Thomas Wilson and Joanna Wilson; his parents Henritta Wilson and John Arceneaux; his siblings Warren Arceneaux and Rose Marie Perkins; brother-in-law Earl Langley, surrogate parents Mr. Sidney Fomby, Sr and Mrs. Cora Lee Fomby, and special brother, Sidney Fomby, Jr. Those left to cherish John's memories are his daughter Ljubica (Don); son Jerel (Manisha); and grandchildren Taylor Marie, Jacob Avery, Danielle Grace and Morgan Ann; sister Anna Langley; sisters in law Juanita Robinson (Robert) and Leona Savoy; special sisters Mary Fomby and Lorene White; special brothers Roosevelt Fomby (JoAnn) and Elton Fomby (Jimmy Lou) and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will miss him dearly.

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