Braxton ‘B.I.’ Moody III Obituary, Longtime Business And Community Leader In Crowley Has Died

Braxton ‘B.I.’ Moody III Obituary, Death – The University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s business school is named after Acadiana businessman Braxton “B.I.” Moody III, who died Wednesday at 97. Moody attended Auburn after graduating from Rayne High. World War II Navy service interrupted his collegiate career. After the war, Moody hitchhiked from Rayne to Lafayette to attend SLI and receive a bachelor of science in accounting. After graduating, Moody founded Moody, Broussard, Poché & Guidry, an accounting firm.

On Thursday morning, the institution mourned Moody, a 1949 graduate and “a longtime friend of the university.” In 2002, the university renamed its business college after him to celebrate his achievements and devotion to Acadiana business. College was eventually housed at Moody Hall. Mr. Moody exemplified the values the University promotes in its graduates: hard effort, determination, and integrity. The statement said we mourn the Moody family and celebrate the life of this Acadiana business legend.

Moody chaired Lafayette’s Moody Company and Louisiana State Newspapers Inc. Moody bought the Church Point News in 1963 and the Rayne Acadian Tribune in 1943. He later founded the Crowley Post Herald, which combined with the Crowley Daily Signal in 1974 to form the Crowley Post Signal. Louisiana State Newspapers, Moody’s newspaper business, bought several Louisiana newspapers during the next 30 years and now publishes 22. Longtime friend of four-time Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards, Moody was among a group in 2003 that pushed to lower Edwards’ 10-year federal prison sentence shortly after he began it.

“Truly the best,” remarked Edwards biographer Leo Honeycutt. “B.I. Moody and Te quietly assisted many people. He lived as a gentleman and Christian. He was my biggest inspiration in writing the Edwin Edwards biography as a biography of Louisiana as much as the man. It was harder, but he was right.” Edwards’ widow, Trina Edwards Alario, posted about Moody’s death on social media. Edwards Alario stated, “This extraordinary soul became a beacon of generosity, compassion, and unfailing support in my darkest days after Edwin’s death.

“BI comforted me greatly with its understanding. He kept in touch after others had quit, trying to soothe me despite his own sorrow.” Moody was Lafayette First National Bank board chairman. He serves on the boards of Rayne State Bank & Trust Company, First National Bank of Crowley, Acadia Savings and Loan Administration, First Commerce of New Orleans, Coastal Chemical Company, Lastarmco Inc., Riviana Foods Inc., Celeron Oil Company, Lafayette, and Quantum Restaurants Inc.

He later became president and CEO of Chart House, a public company that owns Burger King hamburger restaurants in Louisiana, Illinois, California, Virginia, and Texas, Chart House steak restaurants in California, Cork & Cleaver steak restaurants in Colorado, and Luther’s Bar-B-Q in Texas “Mr. Moody, a community pillar, embodied service, vision and leadership,” said One Acadiana president and CEO Troy Wayman. “His legacy and achievements to Acadiana business will inspire and benefit future generations. Please accept our sympathies, Moody family.

” According to sources, Moody co-owned Evangeline Downs in Carencro and loved horse racing. He and co-owner William Trotter transferred the track to St. Landry Parish after voters approved more profitable slot machines, and then sold it to an Iowa gaming corporation for $30 million. Moody was one of three people who donated millions to the 1978 Louisiana Superdome Muhammad Ali-Leon Spinks rematch. Before her 2017 death, Moody was married to Rayne’s former Thelma Hebert for 70 years. The couple has nine children, 48 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.