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Click here For the obituary at the Kings Funeral Home site

Lawrence Ardoin, known as "Black," was born to Alphonse "Boi Sec" Ardoin and Marceline Victorian Ardoin on November 17, 1946, and he transitioned on December 3, 2022, at the age of 76 years young. Lawrence grew up in the Lanse de Prien Noire community, near Mamou, Louisiana.

He retired from Entergy after thirty-plus years and played music his entire life. He was an icon in the Creole Music industry, helping many new artists and helping to shape the musical landscape of the region. Lawrence married the love of his life, Mary Landry Ardoin in 1968; they had just celebrated fifty-four years of marriage on October 5th. From this union, three children were born: Sean Ardoin (Vanessa) of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Erica Ardoin of Spring, Texas, and Chris Ardoin (Kerri) of Duson, Louisiana. He has four grandchildren from this union as well, Sean Ardoin, II, Collin Ardoin, Carter Ardoin, and Bryson Ardoin. Lawrence came from a large family of fourteen, nine sisters and four brothers.

He is survived by six sisters and two brothers: Dorothy Ardoin Fruge (Clifton) of Eunice, Louisiana, Onelia Ardoin Cochran (Aaron) and Mathilda Ardoin Hall both of Edmond, Oklahoma, Juanita Ardoin and Emily Ardoin both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Alberta Ardoin Hall (Jerry) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ronald Ardoin (Georgiana) of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Russel Ardoin of Duralde, Louisiana.

Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents, Alphonse and Marceline, and siblings Morris Ardoin, Gustave Ardoin, Florence Ardoin Thomas, Hazel Ardoin Guillory, and Mildred Ardoin Guillory.

Funeral services will be held at Christian World Ministries, 2001 E. Gauthier Rd, Lake Charles, LA 70607, on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Visitation will be from 2-4 pm and the funeral will start promptly at 4pm.

Internment and Military Honors will be held on Monday, December 12, 2022, at 10am at the SWLA Veteran's Cemetery, 1620 Evangeline Road, Jennings, Louisiana 70546, under the direction of King's Funeral Home. For words of comfort, please visit www.kingsfuneralhomela.com.

Mike Ross(Plain Talks editor from Dec. 1974 - Oct. 1976) wrote an article about Lawrence Ardoin for the July-August 1976 issue of Plain Talks Magazine. Below are some of Mike's thoughts about Lawrence and his impact on the world of Cajun Music:

When I saw (on TV) Zydeco singer Sean Ardoin perform during Monday's Tournament of Roses Parade (2024), I thought back to the article I wrote for Plain Talks in 1976 about his father, Lawrence, who was a mechanic at Nelson Station in Lake Charles. Lawrence & his family, The Ardoin Brothers, had performed at the Bicentennial Folklife Festival on the U.S. Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C. My story about the event ran on pages 8-10 of July/August 1976 issue (Link below).

After Monday's parade was over, I wondered how Lawrence was doing these days. Sadly, I learned that he'd died on December 3, 2022! The Ardoins are royalty in the world of Louisiana music, often called the "First Family of Creole & Zydeco music." Article on Wikipedia.

Here are links to two tributes by local TV stations, KPLC & KATC:
KPLC
KATC
This is a link to the Plain Talks Magazine article Mike Ross wrote :
Plain Talks July-August 1976 (pages 10-12). Click the Next Page link to view the other pages in the article.