Walter H "Buddy" Piat Jr

Walter H. “Buddy” Piat, Jr., 83, of Bridge City, Texas, passed away on February 16, 2016, in Port Arthur, Texas.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, February 19, 2016, at St. Henry Catholic Church in Bridge City, Texas. Officiating will be Father Steve Leger. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange. Military honors will be provided by the United States Navy and the Southeast Texas Veterans Service Group.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a wake service at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City.

Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, on August 30, 1932, he was the son of Walter Henry Piat, Sr. and Bernice (Burliegh) Piat. Walter was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, American Legion Post 250 in Bridge City, and a life member of the VFW Post 4759 in Starks, Louisiana. He loved his family more than anything and was always everyone’s “Buddy”.

He was preceded in death by parents; sister, Nelda Willis Riveria; and granddaughter, Lacy Jane Gibbs.

He is survived by his loving wife, Barbara Piat; children, Elizabeth Piat Gibbs and husband Tommy, of Vidor and Paul Piat and wife Dawn, of Tomball; grandchildren, Elwin and Cody Ballard, Don Gibbs, Jr., Jacob Piat, Brian Gibbs, Romandy Gibbs, and Dylan Bartlett; great-grandchild, Phoenix Chelciu; nephew, Wayne Willis, of Deweyville; and numerous other nieces and nephews.

Serving as pallbearers will be Cody Ballard, Elwin Ballard, Keith Gregg, Chad Nunez, Junior Gibbs, and Dylan Bartlett. Honorary pallbearers are Wayne Willis and Jacob Piat.