Matthew Vallaire, Sr.

Matthew Vallaire Sr. was born on August 6, 1955, in Lafayette, Louisiana, to the late Lloyd Valliere, Sr. & Anna Marie Jean Batiste Vallaire. He was the third child of eight children. He attended St. Martinville High School. Matthew was a resident of DeRidder, Louisiana. He worked for over 40 years…he served in the United States Army as a Staff Sgt (1972-1981), worked with a logging company, worked at the Transportation Motor Pool (Ft. Polk, LA) and also overseas at a construction company, Brown & Root in Bosnia.

While serving on active duty at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, he met the love of his life (Susie) in October 1973. Their relationship grew into something so much more & he married his sweetheart on June 29, 1974. Matthew & Susie shared over 51 years of unwavering partnership. Their love & devotion serve as a shining example to all who knew them.

Matthew was a dedicated father to his three children, Latasha, Alicia, & Matthew Jr., guiding them through life’s challenges with wisdom, patience, & humor. He instilled in them the values of kindness, honesty, & hard work. He spent much of his life building a strong & loving family. As a grandfather, Matthew found immense joy in spending time with his nine grandchildren & two great grandkids. He always showed his love, offered encouragement & a warm embrace.

He became a member of Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church around 2009 under the leadership of the late Rev. Freddie Thomas, Sr. During his time there he was a faithful member of the adult & male choir. He served as Vice President of the choir & a member of the brotherhood.

In September 2019, Brother Vallaire was led by God to follow Pastor Kenneth Seastrunk as God led him to start a new church. In which he became a member of God’s Way Gospel Church Through Jesus Christ in Deridder, Louisiana. While under the leadership of Pastor Seastrunk, he was ordained as a deacon, also became the Sunday School Superintendent, sang in the choir, member of the board & finance committee. He was a loyal & faithful member of the ministry.

Deacon Vallaire was determined to do whatever necessary in making sure he was lined up with GOD’S WORD. He always showed up to Sunday School & Bible Study excited & ready to share with others what he had studied. Over time his zeal & love for God grew stronger. Deacon Vallaire would evangelize to anyone he would come in contact with love, humility & grace. His walk with Christ was evident in every interaction—always offering wisdom, prayer, & encouragement to those around him which included family, friends & strangers.

He was a man of integrity, compassion, & unwavering faith, Brother Matthew led by example. He believed in living a life that honored God, & he leaves behind a legacy of service, love, & discipleship. Whenever anyone encountered Brother Matthew, he made sure that they knew about Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. His mission was to try to get people to know how important it was to change their lives before it was too late.

Brother Matthew will be remembered for his gentle spirit, infectious laughter, & his ability to make everyone feel welcome. His kindness resonated within his community, & his legacy lives on through the lives he touched.

He is survived by his loving wife, Susie; his children, Latasha Seastrunk (Kenneth), Alicia Prater (Don Sr.), & Matthew Vallaire, Jr. (Takecia); and his 9 grandchildren Isaiah Vallaire, Don Prater, Jr., Chadani Hester, Dequan Prater, Makeelin Vallaire, Makieja Vallaire, Makenzie Vallaire, Lailani Vallaire, & Kennedi Peters. Two great-grandchildren, Josiah C. Davis & Kimora Woodard. His siblings: Kerbert (Felicia) Vallaire, Clifford Vallaire, Bradley Vallaire; sister, JoAnna McMullen; sisters-in-law, Amanda Vallaire & Elizabeth Vallaire; brother-in-law, Willie Brown; two best friends: Calvin Barry & Darryl Hajducek & two special friends Rev. Carl Davis, Sr. & Deacon Lonnie Williamston, Bonus Church Family: Pentecostal Church of God in Jesus Christ, Houston, TX. He is also remembered fondly by his extended family & many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Valliere, Sr. & Anna Marie Jean Batiste Vallaire; two brothers, Floyd Vallaire & Lloyd Vallaire, Jr.; one sister, Brenda Brown Vallaire.

Brother Matthew was cherished by many & a mentor/friend to countless individuals who found guidance & strength in his steady presence. Whether offering a listening ear, a firm word of advice, or a simple gesture of kindness, Matthew left an indelible mark on every life he touched.

Though he may no longer walk beside us, his love, laughter, & lessons will forever remain in our hearts.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 8, 2025, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Myers Colonial Funeral Home in DeRidder, LA. Visitation will continue on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 9:00 AM until the time of service at 12:00 PM at Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church, 409 Woodrow W. Batties Dr., DeRidder, LA. Pastor Kenneth Seastrunk, Sr. will officiate the service. Pallbearers will be Decon Don Prater, Sr., Mirick Hall, Cedric McCain, Kerbert Vallaire, Steven Vallaire, Ryan Vallaire, Giovanntae Vallaire. Burial will be on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 10:00 AM at Central Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Leesville, LA.