Horace Anthony Pete Jr., (1943-2025) passed away August 28, 2025, in New Orleans, LA, surrounded by his wife, daughter and friends. He was born in Berwick, LA on July 20, 1943, to Leona and Horace Pete, Sr.
Horace joined the Marine Corps immediately following his graduation from Berwick High School in 1962, serving his country for nearly 22 years, going to Vietnam and the many conflicts that followed. After retiring as a Master Sargeant from the Marines, he became a town constable and sheriff’s deputy in Montana where he served his community for almost two decades. He moved back to Berwick becoming a tugboat captain, pushing barges along the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers until his health forced him into retirement.
Horace is survived by his wife, Dawn Beadle Pete, his two children, Shawn Pete and Shannon Pete, and his daughters, Heather Lorenzo and Rachel Blaize. Horace was preceded in passing by his first wife, Linda, two of his daughters, Laurie and Kathy, and a granddaughter, Erin.
Horace delighted in his many grandchildren and great grandchildren; his heart never seemed to run out of space. Because of that large heart, he would often reach out to help those in need doing what he could for those he would eventually call friend. Horace had many friends; he never met someone he couldn’t talk to, and he always had new stories to tell. He could talk to someone and within minutes it would sound like he knew them his whole life. One thing he could talk extensively on was his passion for firearms. He loved to shoot and that hobby meant he had to love to reload ammunition. He could describe his methods in detail to anyone that was interested. This passion was the impetus for many of his friendships and professional achievements. His experience and precision with firearms brought him to the attention of his Marine Corps superiors and he won many awards for shooting. He even taught Special Weapons and Tactics for the FBI, an achievement he was especially proud of. He taught his children to shoot, passing down his love for the sport. Horace was active in the Berwick chapter of the VFW, even practicing his bugle skills to maintain sharp for events. He lived out the saying, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.”
A wake for Horace will be held on Thursday, September 4th at Twin City Funeral Home, 412 Fourth Street, Morgan City from 6-9pm, with a rosary at 7pm. Visitation will continue at Twin City on Friday, September 5th from 9-11am. The funeral will be held at the funeral home at 11am on Friday, September 5th with a priest performing the ceremony. Following the ceremony, Horace will be laid to rest at the Berwick Memorial Cemetery on Fourth Street in Berwick. Another Marine has gone to his final duty station, guarding the streets of Heaven! Semper Fi, Dad!