Anthony "Tony" Navarre

Funeral Services will be held in the Sunrise Chapel at Walters Funeral Home on Monday, November 24, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. for Anthony "Tony" Navarre, 83, who passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. The Rev. Chester Arceneaux, Pastor at Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, will officiate the ceremony.

Visitation hours will be observed at Walters Funeral Home on Monday, November 24, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. until time of service at 11:00 a.m. A rosary will be prayed during visitation hours at 10:00 a.m. The following day, on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, a military committal service will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Calvary Cemetery.

Anthony George Navarre was born on August 22, 1942 to the family of Viola Doucet Navarre and Anthony Paul Navarre in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was one of six children raised on Martha Street in a Northside Lafayette neighborhood surrounded by many relatives. Anthony and his siblings were nurtured in the traditions of the Roman Catholic faith and baptized at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church where their grandfather, Smallen Navarre, was a founding member of the congregation.

Anthony received his high school diploma from Paul Breaux High School in 1961. While attending high school, he met Dorothy Ann Malveaux, whom he married in 1966. After graduating high school, Anthony enlisted in the United States Army in 1962. During his military service, he metaled and badged in the areas of marksmanship and parachuting. Following the completion of his military service, Anthony enrolled at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (U.S.L.) in Lafayette and was assimilating to college life. While entrenched in his studies, Anthony was encouraged by his father and several leaders in the black community of Lafayette to take the Civil Service test to become a Lafayette City Police Officer. Anthony successfully passed this test and became officially the first black police officer with a patrol assignment in Lafayette Parish. During these early years, Anthony continued to take college courses when he could at U.S.L. and Louisiana State University (L.S.U.) in Baton Rouge. After several years as a patrolman, Anthony was offered to represent Lafayette City Police at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Academy (F.B.I.). During his F.B.I. training, Anthony selected an intense legal program that gave him the opportunity to clerk under the prestigious Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Later in Anthony’s law enforcement career with the Lafayette City Police, he was elevated numerous times and retired in 1983 as Captain. After his retirement from the local police, Anthony became the Director of the Lafayette Community Correctional Center, a non-profit center that housed men and women while serving time for misdemeanors or felonies commonly known as the “Half-Way House.” In 1984, Anthony became the Campus Chief of Police at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During the last administration of Governor Edwin Edwards, Anthony served as Director of Weights and Standards division of the Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development (DOTD).

After his 4th retirement, Anthony worked as a driver for Renzenberger as well as the legal runner for Doucet-Speer, A Professional Law Corporation.

Throughout his life, Anthony was deeply involved in Civil Rights, Human Rights, and the uplifting of the black community in Lafayette Parish and the State of Louisiana. In the 1980’s, he was politically active and ran for several elected positions such as Lafayette Parish Sheriff and Louisiana State Representative. Because of his deep commitment to the betterment of the community, Anthony mentored numerous young politicians and youth activists. Anthony was a strong advocate of Voting Rights and encouraged community members to exercise their civic duty and register to vote. Anthony had a deep love of locally brewed coffee and would proudly enjoy early morning coffee conversations at CC’s Coffee on North College Road with a lively bunch of Lafayette Parish residents whom he considered good friends. They congregated to discuss current events of the day, food, sports, politics and history which led to an expanding membership that, at times, filled every seat with eager listeners who gained wisdom to start their day. Anthony was a true believer in every person obtaining basic needs and receiving human compassion from their fellow man. He often volunteered at St. Joseph’s Diner and other local aid groups to offer assistance with food preparation, collecting and purchasing perishable items needed, encouraging local business owners to make regular donations, collecting clothing and general supplies and overall fundraising needs. For decades, Anthony took his charity work to the streets of Lafayette and made regular stops to areas in the city where homeless people lived just to make sure they were getting food, clothing and first-aid supplies needed to survive. The Thanksgiving season was especially important to him. Each year Anthony found new ways to practice his deep belief that all people deserved the dignity of a warm place to stay and good food to eat.

Anthony was an active member and leader of numerous organizations both civic and political. Louisiana Council on Human Relations, Magnolia State Peace Officers Association, N.A.A.C.P., Louisiana Chapter of the F.B.I., University Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and Citizens of District A (CODA) to name a few.

For many years, Anthony was a weekly participant of Je’Nelle Chargois’ morning talk show, The Open Line, which aired on KJCB 770AM where they discussed local and state politics affecting the African American community in the Lafayette area. Anthony also was a guest participant of Sister Khadjiah Rashad’s radio show on KIEE 88.3FM where they discussed local politics, history and Lafayette’s Northside community. For over two decades, Anthony could be viewed weekly on Acadiana Open Channel (AOC) featured on Andy Hebert’s Let’s Talk segment with his long-time friend and former mayor-president, Kenneth “Kenny” F. Bowen.

He is survived by his beautiful and devoted wife, Dorothy Ann Malveaux Navarre of 59 years; son, Vincent David Navarre (Stacy) of Woodbridge, Va.; daughters, Melissa Ann Navarre of Lafayette, La. and Jennifer Louise Navarre of New Orleans, La.; siblings, Joyceline Mouton of Lafayette, La., Lawrence Navarre (Julia) of Baton Rouge, La., Mable Ann Anderson of Lafayette, La., and Eric Navarre (Carolyn) of Lafayette, La.; sister-in-law, Emma Hebert of Lafayette, La.; grandchildren, Hannah Navarre, Lydia Navarre, Joshua Navarre and Daniel Navarre of Woodbridge, Va.; honorary grandchildren, Shelby Speer, John Anthony Speer and Benjamin Alexandere Speer of Lafayette, La.; and a host of other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Viola Doucet Navarre; his father, Anthony Paul Navarre; grandparents, Eva Mack, Romelis Doucet, Marie Aline Mouton Navarre and Smallen Navarre I of Lafayette, La.; sibling, Elmo Paul Navarre of Baton Rouge, La.; brother-in-laws, Gussie Hebert, Calvin Mouton and Paul Malveaux of Lafayette, La.; sister-in-laws, Jorie Ann Navarre of Baton Rouge, La., and Audrey Malveaux of Lafayette, La.; in-laws, Alzina Moss Malveaux and Arthur Malveaux of Lafayette, La.; and honorary son, Jeffery F. Speer.

Pallbearers will be Vincent Navarre, Nicholas Navarre, Julian Navarre, Donald Anderson Jr., Kevin Anderson, and Gregory Malveaux.  Honorary Pallbearers are Claude Malveaux, Jason E. Fontenot, Fredric Navarre, Robert A. Jarred, Louis Navarre, Bryan Hunt, Walter Louis Jr., Vic Hummet, Gilbert “Gobb” Williams Jr., Tom Landry, Louis “T-Boy” Gilbert, Sammy Trahan, Calvin “Green” Matthews, Dr. Robert W. Romero, John Anthony Speer, Paul Casey, Benjamin Alexandere Speer, Dr. James Cross, Bobby Capdepone, Elnur Musa, Andy Hebert, John Mikel, Barry Ancelot, Joe McCarty, David “T-Coon” Billeaud, Cecil Wiltz, Robert Langlinais, and Quan Nguyen.

Walters Funeral Home, 2424 N. University Ave., (337) 706-8941, is in charge of funeral arrangements.