Jonas Salles Debarros

Jonas Salles deBarros, born June 27, 1929, a native of Brazil and a resident of Baton Rouge, passed away peacefully, August 8, 2023, at the age of 94, surrounded by family and friends. He was profoundly honored to have gained his American citizenship on April 12, 1955. An avid reader and a quick learner, he had a quirky sense of humor that he spread with both a Brazilian and a south Louisiana accent, making his humor that much more enjoyable. Jonas loved his hot sauce, almost as much as he enjoyed his sports. There wasn’t a food that was off limits from a douse of hot sauce (yes, even ice cream) and there wasn’t a game of LSU basketball, LSU football or a game of professional soccer that he didn’t watch over and over again. Jonas graduated from LSU in civil engineering, worked with many firms throughout his career and ended that career with ownership, along with his son, Gerry, of deBarros and Associates.  After retirement, he became a Southern Baptist volunteer foreign missionary, working in Nigeria, Philippines and Brazil.  In Nigeria, he designed a sewer treatment plant for a Baptist hospital.  He helped Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines with life skills (car mechanics) before their journey to America.  He became pastor of a church in Sao Roque, Brazil.  In off hours, he and Louise would evangelize. He always loved having his dogs, Boody-Woody, Dancer, Schultzie, Delta, Pipoca and Jezebel at his side or on his shoulders.  He loved his cattle farm north of Clinton, loved building houses and loved gardening, growing fruits and vegetables. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Louise; children, Janet Ashworth, Gerry (Karen) deBarros, Suzette (Roch) Landaiche, David (Yvonne) deBarros, and Babette deBarros; stepsons, Richard (Nancy) Charlet and Keith (Dagmar, “Dags”) Charlet; 15 grandchildren; and 21 great grandchildren.  He is preceeded in death by his sister, Nivea Urquoli, brother, Paulo deBarros, son-in-law, Ed Ashworth, and great grandson, Ian Pound. He loved the Lord.  He loved his children.  He will be greatly missed by all.  Memorial services will be held at Jefferson Baptist Church on September 22, at 10 a.m.