Reporter Calvin Lear dies in snorkeling accident
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) November 25, 1997
Calvin Lear, a reporter for The Advocate in Baton Rouge, died Sunday afternoon in a snorkeling accident off St. Kitts, an island in the Caribbean. He was 37.
A manager at the hotel where he and his family were vacationing said Lear was snorkeling near the beach and his wife, Gale, contacted authorities about 1:45 p.m. after she did not see him surface. Lear's body was found near the beach, the manager said.
The family had left for vacation Friday.
Funeral arrangements through Martin and Castille Funeral Home of Lafayette are incomplete.
A Calvin Lear Children's Trust Fund has been opened at MidSouth National Bank, account number 20904149, Attention: Jenny Fontenot, P.O. Box 3745, Lafayette, La. 70502.
His wife is expecting their second child.
Lear started in the newspaper business on the circulation loading dock for The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, later becoming a reporter in 1987.
In 1990, he joined The Advocate to help start the paper's Acadiana edition. He covered courts, School Board, police, general news and wrote feature stories.
Lear won several awards from the Louisiana State Bar Association for his coverage of court proceedings and legal issues.
Lear was a native and lifelong resident of Lafayette.
He graduated from Northside High School in 1978 and earned his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1986 with a major in public relations.
He had been a student government senator while at USL.
Lear was a member of Our Lady of Wisdom Church.
He is survived by his wife, Gale Grossie Lear, and their 22-month-old son, Oliver; parents Clifford and Mabel Lear of Lafayette; sisters Phyllis Lear of Ruston, Bernadette Gaudin of Opelousas, Elaine Lear of Galliano and Kellye Glass of Ketchikan, Alaska; brothers Robert Charles Lear of Breaux Bridge and Patrick Lear of Lake Dallas, Texas, and brother-in-law, Bruce Gaudin of Opelousas.
"I lost my best friend, that's all I can say," brother Robert Lear said. "He was a great father, a great dad. He loved his work."
Lafayette Parish School Board member Ricky Hardy said he will remember Lear as a reporter concerned about fairness in his articles.
"When we would go into executive session, he would remind us we needed a reason to do it," Hardy recalled.
Raymond Blanco, vice president of student affairs at the USL, said Lear's approach to interviewing people on sensitive matters gained him respect.
"He was always so gentle, no matter how bad the news or the story was, he would relax you," Blanco said. "He got more information out of me than anybody because he was so kind and so gentle."
"As far as I was concerned he was a good friend and a good reporter," said Assistant District Attorney Richard Weimer.
"I never heard a bad word about Calvin," said courtroom bailiff Irvin Celestine.
"He took his job seriously but never to the point of stepping over anyone," Celestine said.
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Dan Guilliot said Lear "knew how to get around to pick up the news."
"He always wanted both sides," said criminal court clerk Sally Lane.
"He was a person you could trust," said Chief Deputy Clerk Ann Ardoin.
"I never saw anyone who enjoyed parenthood more than him," said attorney Dave Hutchins, a frequent lunch partner. "He sure had a lot to live for, and I'm sure going to miss him."
"Calvin was a little guy with a big heart, and it showed in his son Oliver, one of the happiest kids I've ever seen," said Acadiana bureau Chief Bruce Schultz.
"Calvin liked a cold beer, corny jokes and USL sports. He was one of the most avid fans of USL women's softball."
Yvette Girouard, coach of the USL Lady Cajuns softball team and a family friend was at a loss to accept Lear's death.
"It's one of those things where you shake your head, because he's one of the good guys," Girouard said. "He was a great husband, a fantastic father, and he was an awesome friend."
"He was a very good friend to Lady Cajun softball and to me," Girouard said.
"I choose to remember Calvin laughing," said Acadiana bureau reporter Angela Simoneaux.
"He had a sly, quirky kind of wit. He came up with some of the worst jokes and lamest puns I have ever heard."
"It was Calvin's humanity that defined his personality, not his profession," Simoneaux said. "Calvin worried more about how his questions and stories would affect the people involved more than any other reporter I have ever known. Calvin truly cared about people."
Lynn Guidry, a former Parish Council member and friend, recalled he became acquainted with Lear when the reporter covered parish government.
"Sometimes I'd call Calvin, and ask him, 'What do you think about this?' And he had such good insight about things. He shared a lot of his vision with me."
David Thibodaux, a USL professor and Lafayette Parish School Board member, said he met Lear more than 20 years ago, when they were working together at the Nona Theater in Lafayette.
"Calvin was one of the most decent, honorable people I think I've ever known. Straightforward, easy to talk to, easy to deal with," Thibodaux said. "I was really very fond of him."
"I never remember Calvin speaking ill of other people, that's something I always admire," Thibodaux said.
Lear did his job "quietly, professionally, thoroughly and warmly," said Nancy Mounce, retired teacher and former City Council member. "He was just so soft-spoken and gentle. I just can't believe it."
Mounce said she spoke with Lear a few days after his son Oliver was born.
"He was an extraordinarily proud father, proud and very, very happy," Mounce said.
City-Parish President Walter Comeaux remembered Lear for his professionalism.
"He was very professional. Somebody you could work with. He was a very kind individual. He will be missed," Comeaux said.
Advocate photographer Brad Bigley, best man at Lear's wedding, remembered that Lear once had an old used car he wanted to sell for $200, and he couldn't find any buyers. Finally, Lear settled for giving the car away to a down-and-out fellow, and he gave the man $100 to register the car.
"He was rare," Bigley said. "God bless Calvin Lear. He will be missed more than he would ever have known."
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) November 25, 1997
Calvin Lear, a reporter for The Advocate in Baton Rouge, died Sunday afternoon in a snorkeling accident off St. Kitts, an island in the Caribbean. He was 37.
A manager at the hotel where he and his family were vacationing said Lear was snorkeling near the beach and his wife, Gale, contacted authorities about 1:45 p.m. after she did not see him surface. Lear's body was found near the beach, the manager said.
The family had left for vacation Friday.
Funeral arrangements through Martin and Castille Funeral Home of Lafayette are incomplete.
A Calvin Lear Children's Trust Fund has been opened at MidSouth National Bank, account number 20904149, Attention: Jenny Fontenot, P.O. Box 3745, Lafayette, La. 70502.
His wife is expecting their second child.
Lear started in the newspaper business on the circulation loading dock for The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, later becoming a reporter in 1987.
In 1990, he joined The Advocate to help start the paper's Acadiana edition. He covered courts, School Board, police, general news and wrote feature stories.
Lear won several awards from the Louisiana State Bar Association for his coverage of court proceedings and legal issues.
Lear was a native and lifelong resident of Lafayette.
He graduated from Northside High School in 1978 and earned his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1986 with a major in public relations.
He had been a student government senator while at USL.
Lear was a member of Our Lady of Wisdom Church.
He is survived by his wife, Gale Grossie Lear, and their 22-month-old son, Oliver; parents Clifford and Mabel Lear of Lafayette; sisters Phyllis Lear of Ruston, Bernadette Gaudin of Opelousas, Elaine Lear of Galliano and Kellye Glass of Ketchikan, Alaska; brothers Robert Charles Lear of Breaux Bridge and Patrick Lear of Lake Dallas, Texas, and brother-in-law, Bruce Gaudin of Opelousas.
"I lost my best friend, that's all I can say," brother Robert Lear said. "He was a great father, a great dad. He loved his work."
Lafayette Parish School Board member Ricky Hardy said he will remember Lear as a reporter concerned about fairness in his articles.
"When we would go into executive session, he would remind us we needed a reason to do it," Hardy recalled.
Raymond Blanco, vice president of student affairs at the USL, said Lear's approach to interviewing people on sensitive matters gained him respect.
"He was always so gentle, no matter how bad the news or the story was, he would relax you," Blanco said. "He got more information out of me than anybody because he was so kind and so gentle."
"As far as I was concerned he was a good friend and a good reporter," said Assistant District Attorney Richard Weimer.
"I never heard a bad word about Calvin," said courtroom bailiff Irvin Celestine.
"He took his job seriously but never to the point of stepping over anyone," Celestine said.
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Dan Guilliot said Lear "knew how to get around to pick up the news."
"He always wanted both sides," said criminal court clerk Sally Lane.
"He was a person you could trust," said Chief Deputy Clerk Ann Ardoin.
"I never saw anyone who enjoyed parenthood more than him," said attorney Dave Hutchins, a frequent lunch partner. "He sure had a lot to live for, and I'm sure going to miss him."
"Calvin was a little guy with a big heart, and it showed in his son Oliver, one of the happiest kids I've ever seen," said Acadiana bureau Chief Bruce Schultz.
"Calvin liked a cold beer, corny jokes and USL sports. He was one of the most avid fans of USL women's softball."
Yvette Girouard, coach of the USL Lady Cajuns softball team and a family friend was at a loss to accept Lear's death.
"It's one of those things where you shake your head, because he's one of the good guys," Girouard said. "He was a great husband, a fantastic father, and he was an awesome friend."
"He was a very good friend to Lady Cajun softball and to me," Girouard said.
"I choose to remember Calvin laughing," said Acadiana bureau reporter Angela Simoneaux.
"He had a sly, quirky kind of wit. He came up with some of the worst jokes and lamest puns I have ever heard."
"It was Calvin's humanity that defined his personality, not his profession," Simoneaux said. "Calvin worried more about how his questions and stories would affect the people involved more than any other reporter I have ever known. Calvin truly cared about people."
Lynn Guidry, a former Parish Council member and friend, recalled he became acquainted with Lear when the reporter covered parish government.
"Sometimes I'd call Calvin, and ask him, 'What do you think about this?' And he had such good insight about things. He shared a lot of his vision with me."
David Thibodaux, a USL professor and Lafayette Parish School Board member, said he met Lear more than 20 years ago, when they were working together at the Nona Theater in Lafayette.
"Calvin was one of the most decent, honorable people I think I've ever known. Straightforward, easy to talk to, easy to deal with," Thibodaux said. "I was really very fond of him."
"I never remember Calvin speaking ill of other people, that's something I always admire," Thibodaux said.
Lear did his job "quietly, professionally, thoroughly and warmly," said Nancy Mounce, retired teacher and former City Council member. "He was just so soft-spoken and gentle. I just can't believe it."
Mounce said she spoke with Lear a few days after his son Oliver was born.
"He was an extraordinarily proud father, proud and very, very happy," Mounce said.
City-Parish President Walter Comeaux remembered Lear for his professionalism.
"He was very professional. Somebody you could work with. He was a very kind individual. He will be missed," Comeaux said.
Advocate photographer Brad Bigley, best man at Lear's wedding, remembered that Lear once had an old used car he wanted to sell for $200, and he couldn't find any buyers. Finally, Lear settled for giving the car away to a down-and-out fellow, and he gave the man $100 to register the car.
"He was rare," Bigley said. "God bless Calvin Lear. He will be missed more than he would ever have known."
Reporter Calvin Lear dies in snorkeling accident
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) November 25, 1997
Calvin Lear, a reporter for The Advocate in Baton Rouge, died Sunday afternoon in a snorkeling accident off St. Kitts, an island in the Caribbean. He was 37.
A manager at the hotel where he and his family were vacationing said Lear was snorkeling near the beach and his wife, Gale, contacted authorities about 1:45 p.m. after she did not see him surface. Lear's body was found near the beach, the manager said.
The family had left for vacation Friday.
Funeral arrangements through Martin and Castille Funeral Home of Lafayette are incomplete.
A Calvin Lear Children's Trust Fund has been opened at MidSouth National Bank, account number 20904149, Attention: Jenny Fontenot, P.O. Box 3745, Lafayette, La. 70502.
His wife is expecting their second child.
Lear started in the newspaper business on the circulation loading dock for The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, later becoming a reporter in 1987.
In 1990, he joined The Advocate to help start the paper's Acadiana edition. He covered courts, School Board, police, general news and wrote feature stories.
Lear won several awards from the Louisiana State Bar Association for his coverage of court proceedings and legal issues.
Lear was a native and lifelong resident of Lafayette.
He graduated from Northside High School in 1978 and earned his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1986 with a major in public relations.
He had been a student government senator while at USL.
Lear was a member of Our Lady of Wisdom Church.
He is survived by his wife, Gale Grossie Lear, and their 22-month-old son, Oliver; parents Clifford and Mabel Lear of Lafayette; sisters Phyllis Lear of Ruston, Bernadette Gaudin of Opelousas, Elaine Lear of Galliano and Kellye Glass of Ketchikan, Alaska; brothers Robert Charles Lear of Breaux Bridge and Patrick Lear of Lake Dallas, Texas, and brother-in-law, Bruce Gaudin of Opelousas.
"I lost my best friend, that's all I can say," brother Robert Lear said. "He was a great father, a great dad. He loved his work."
Lafayette Parish School Board member Ricky Hardy said he will remember Lear as a reporter concerned about fairness in his articles.
"When we would go into executive session, he would remind us we needed a reason to do it," Hardy recalled.
Raymond Blanco, vice president of student affairs at the USL, said Lear's approach to interviewing people on sensitive matters gained him respect.
"He was always so gentle, no matter how bad the news or the story was, he would relax you," Blanco said. "He got more information out of me than anybody because he was so kind and so gentle."
"As far as I was concerned he was a good friend and a good reporter," said Assistant District Attorney Richard Weimer.
"I never heard a bad word about Calvin," said courtroom bailiff Irvin Celestine.
"He took his job seriously but never to the point of stepping over anyone," Celestine said.
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Dan Guilliot said Lear "knew how to get around to pick up the news."
"He always wanted both sides," said criminal court clerk Sally Lane.
"He was a person you could trust," said Chief Deputy Clerk Ann Ardoin.
"I never saw anyone who enjoyed parenthood more than him," said attorney Dave Hutchins, a frequent lunch partner. "He sure had a lot to live for, and I'm sure going to miss him."
"Calvin was a little guy with a big heart, and it showed in his son Oliver, one of the happiest kids I've ever seen," said Acadiana bureau Chief Bruce Schultz.
"Calvin liked a cold beer, corny jokes and USL sports. He was one of the most avid fans of USL women's softball."
Yvette Girouard, coach of the USL Lady Cajuns softball team and a family friend was at a loss to accept Lear's death.
"It's one of those things where you shake your head, because he's one of the good guys," Girouard said. "He was a great husband, a fantastic father, and he was an awesome friend."
"He was a very good friend to Lady Cajun softball and to me," Girouard said.
"I choose to remember Calvin laughing," said Acadiana bureau reporter Angela Simoneaux.
"He had a sly, quirky kind of wit. He came up with some of the worst jokes and lamest puns I have ever heard."
"It was Calvin's humanity that defined his personality, not his profession," Simoneaux said. "Calvin worried more about how his questions and stories would affect the people involved more than any other reporter I have ever known. Calvin truly cared about people."
Lynn Guidry, a former Parish Council member and friend, recalled he became acquainted with Lear when the reporter covered parish government.
"Sometimes I'd call Calvin, and ask him, 'What do you think about this?' And he had such good insight about things. He shared a lot of his vision with me."
David Thibodaux, a USL professor and Lafayette Parish School Board member, said he met Lear more than 20 years ago, when they were working together at the Nona Theater in Lafayette.
"Calvin was one of the most decent, honorable people I think I've ever known. Straightforward, easy to talk to, easy to deal with," Thibodaux said. "I was really very fond of him."
"I never remember Calvin speaking ill of other people, that's something I always admire," Thibodaux said.
Lear did his job "quietly, professionally, thoroughly and warmly," said Nancy Mounce, retired teacher and former City Council member. "He was just so soft-spoken and gentle. I just can't believe it."
Mounce said she spoke with Lear a few days after his son Oliver was born.
"He was an extraordinarily proud father, proud and very, very happy," Mounce said.
City-Parish President Walter Comeaux remembered Lear for his professionalism.
"He was very professional. Somebody you could work with. He was a very kind individual. He will be missed," Comeaux said.
Advocate photographer Brad Bigley, best man at Lear's wedding, remembered that Lear once had an old used car he wanted to sell for $200, and he couldn't find any buyers. Finally, Lear settled for giving the car away to a down-and-out fellow, and he gave the man $100 to register the car.
"He was rare," Bigley said. "God bless Calvin Lear. He will be missed more than he would ever have known."
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) November 25, 1997
Calvin Lear, a reporter for The Advocate in Baton Rouge, died Sunday afternoon in a snorkeling accident off St. Kitts, an island in the Caribbean. He was 37.
A manager at the hotel where he and his family were vacationing said Lear was snorkeling near the beach and his wife, Gale, contacted authorities about 1:45 p.m. after she did not see him surface. Lear's body was found near the beach, the manager said.
The family had left for vacation Friday.
Funeral arrangements through Martin and Castille Funeral Home of Lafayette are incomplete.
A Calvin Lear Children's Trust Fund has been opened at MidSouth National Bank, account number 20904149, Attention: Jenny Fontenot, P.O. Box 3745, Lafayette, La. 70502.
His wife is expecting their second child.
Lear started in the newspaper business on the circulation loading dock for The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, later becoming a reporter in 1987.
In 1990, he joined The Advocate to help start the paper's Acadiana edition. He covered courts, School Board, police, general news and wrote feature stories.
Lear won several awards from the Louisiana State Bar Association for his coverage of court proceedings and legal issues.
Lear was a native and lifelong resident of Lafayette.
He graduated from Northside High School in 1978 and earned his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1986 with a major in public relations.
He had been a student government senator while at USL.
Lear was a member of Our Lady of Wisdom Church.
He is survived by his wife, Gale Grossie Lear, and their 22-month-old son, Oliver; parents Clifford and Mabel Lear of Lafayette; sisters Phyllis Lear of Ruston, Bernadette Gaudin of Opelousas, Elaine Lear of Galliano and Kellye Glass of Ketchikan, Alaska; brothers Robert Charles Lear of Breaux Bridge and Patrick Lear of Lake Dallas, Texas, and brother-in-law, Bruce Gaudin of Opelousas.
"I lost my best friend, that's all I can say," brother Robert Lear said. "He was a great father, a great dad. He loved his work."
Lafayette Parish School Board member Ricky Hardy said he will remember Lear as a reporter concerned about fairness in his articles.
"When we would go into executive session, he would remind us we needed a reason to do it," Hardy recalled.
Raymond Blanco, vice president of student affairs at the USL, said Lear's approach to interviewing people on sensitive matters gained him respect.
"He was always so gentle, no matter how bad the news or the story was, he would relax you," Blanco said. "He got more information out of me than anybody because he was so kind and so gentle."
"As far as I was concerned he was a good friend and a good reporter," said Assistant District Attorney Richard Weimer.
"I never heard a bad word about Calvin," said courtroom bailiff Irvin Celestine.
"He took his job seriously but never to the point of stepping over anyone," Celestine said.
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court Dan Guilliot said Lear "knew how to get around to pick up the news."
"He always wanted both sides," said criminal court clerk Sally Lane.
"He was a person you could trust," said Chief Deputy Clerk Ann Ardoin.
"I never saw anyone who enjoyed parenthood more than him," said attorney Dave Hutchins, a frequent lunch partner. "He sure had a lot to live for, and I'm sure going to miss him."
"Calvin was a little guy with a big heart, and it showed in his son Oliver, one of the happiest kids I've ever seen," said Acadiana bureau Chief Bruce Schultz.
"Calvin liked a cold beer, corny jokes and USL sports. He was one of the most avid fans of USL women's softball."
Yvette Girouard, coach of the USL Lady Cajuns softball team and a family friend was at a loss to accept Lear's death.
"It's one of those things where you shake your head, because he's one of the good guys," Girouard said. "He was a great husband, a fantastic father, and he was an awesome friend."
"He was a very good friend to Lady Cajun softball and to me," Girouard said.
"I choose to remember Calvin laughing," said Acadiana bureau reporter Angela Simoneaux.
"He had a sly, quirky kind of wit. He came up with some of the worst jokes and lamest puns I have ever heard."
"It was Calvin's humanity that defined his personality, not his profession," Simoneaux said. "Calvin worried more about how his questions and stories would affect the people involved more than any other reporter I have ever known. Calvin truly cared about people."
Lynn Guidry, a former Parish Council member and friend, recalled he became acquainted with Lear when the reporter covered parish government.
"Sometimes I'd call Calvin, and ask him, 'What do you think about this?' And he had such good insight about things. He shared a lot of his vision with me."
David Thibodaux, a USL professor and Lafayette Parish School Board member, said he met Lear more than 20 years ago, when they were working together at the Nona Theater in Lafayette.
"Calvin was one of the most decent, honorable people I think I've ever known. Straightforward, easy to talk to, easy to deal with," Thibodaux said. "I was really very fond of him."
"I never remember Calvin speaking ill of other people, that's something I always admire," Thibodaux said.
Lear did his job "quietly, professionally, thoroughly and warmly," said Nancy Mounce, retired teacher and former City Council member. "He was just so soft-spoken and gentle. I just can't believe it."
Mounce said she spoke with Lear a few days after his son Oliver was born.
"He was an extraordinarily proud father, proud and very, very happy," Mounce said.
City-Parish President Walter Comeaux remembered Lear for his professionalism.
"He was very professional. Somebody you could work with. He was a very kind individual. He will be missed," Comeaux said.
Advocate photographer Brad Bigley, best man at Lear's wedding, remembered that Lear once had an old used car he wanted to sell for $200, and he couldn't find any buyers. Finally, Lear settled for giving the car away to a down-and-out fellow, and he gave the man $100 to register the car.
"He was rare," Bigley said. "God bless Calvin Lear. He will be missed more than he would ever have known."
Family Members
Parents
Siblings
Children
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
