Gerald, of Vinton, Louisiana, passed away Wednesday at the Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, Mississippi while evacuated for Hurricane Ike.

Born in Jena, Louisiana to William and Ella (Arminda) Cockerham, he lived in the area since 1947. He married Frances Ann Nezat on July 2, 1949 in Sulphur, Louisiana, he worked for and retired in 1976 from the Equitable Bag Company in Orange where he was an oiler and he had also worked in the shipyards in Orange.

Preceded in death by his parents when he was a young boy, he was also preceded in death by his granddaughter, Trixie Broussard; his sisters, Mary Cockerham and Eunice Allbritton; and his brothers, E.P. "Snooks" Cockerham and Dewey Cockerham.

Those who will most cherish his memory are his loving wife of 59 years, Frances Ann Cockerham; his daughters, Ellen Broussard and her husband Kenneth and Janice Campbell and her husband Robert; son, Jerry Cockerham and his wife Mona; grandchildren, Chad Broussard, Brandon Broussard, Christopher Cockerham, Jason Cockerham, Jeremy Scott Cockerham, Tausha Patton, Robert Paul Campbell and Dezerae Campbell. Pallbearers will be Chad Broussard, Brandon Broussard, Jason Cockerham, Scott Cockerham, Robert Paul Campbell and Jerry East.

Gerald, of Vinton, Louisiana, passed away Wednesday at the Memorial Hospital in Gulfport, Mississippi while evacuated for Hurricane Ike.

Born in Jena, Louisiana to William and Ella (Arminda) Cockerham, he lived in the area since 1947. He married Frances Ann Nezat on July 2, 1949 in Sulphur, Louisiana, he worked for and retired in 1976 from the Equitable Bag Company in Orange where he was an oiler and he had also worked in the shipyards in Orange.

Preceded in death by his parents when he was a young boy, he was also preceded in death by his granddaughter, Trixie Broussard; his sisters, Mary Cockerham and Eunice Allbritton; and his brothers, E.P. "Snooks" Cockerham and Dewey Cockerham.

Those who will most cherish his memory are his loving wife of 59 years, Frances Ann Cockerham; his daughters, Ellen Broussard and her husband Kenneth and Janice Campbell and her husband Robert; son, Jerry Cockerham and his wife Mona; grandchildren, Chad Broussard, Brandon Broussard, Christopher Cockerham, Jason Cockerham, Jeremy Scott Cockerham, Tausha Patton, Robert Paul Campbell and Dezerae Campbell. Pallbearers will be Chad Broussard, Brandon Broussard, Jason Cockerham, Scott Cockerham, Robert Paul Campbell and Jerry East.