Delcambre in shock over death of principal; he had planned to retire in January

DELCAMBRE - On Monday, Delcambre Principal Cory Bourque had an appointment with someone at the Iberia Parish School Board Office to talk about him retiring in January. He never made it, because he died at his home Sunday evening.

Evangeline Funeral Home in Delcambre is handling the funeral arrangements.

Bourque, 57, had been the principal at Delcambre High for 17 years. He had been in the Iberia Parish School System system since 1975 and was expected to retire with 36 years.

Long-time friend Dahrie Koenig, who is also Bourque’s former teacher and co-worker, was in shock at the news of his death. She received a phone call from Bourque’s wife right after he passed. She rushed over to their house.

“Unbelievable,” Koenig said Monday morning after she had just gone into his office to remove his things for the funeral.

Bourque and his wife were expected to go on a cruise to the Caribbeans with Keoning in November. Koenig and Bourque have been friends since Bourque was a senior at Delcambre High in 1971. “He was looking forward to retiring,” she said. “He told me it was time for him to go (retire)."

Their friendship goes back 1971 when Bourque, a senior at DHS in 1971, asked her for help in writing a speech. She was a new teacher at the school, and they remained friends for the next 40 years.

“He loved this school,” she added. “This was his life. He loved his students and teachers.”

In his tenure at Delcambre High, the school went through renovations and test scores improved. He was also instrumental in starting baseball and softball at the high school. He fought to get the old cinder track updated to a new, state-of-the-art all-weather track and field facility, which was completed last year.

The mood at the school Monday was a somber one. Acting as the principal will be assistant principal Kimberly Messman.

On campus Monday morning was Iberia Parish Superintendant Dale Henderson and a group of counselors were there to help grieving students and the staff.

Henderson looked over at the statue of the Panther mascot in front of the school and said, “The Panther is sad today. Everyone is sad because of the loss of Mr. Bourque. It is an emotional day.”

Koenig, the former basketball and volleyball coach at Delcambre, said she owes Bourque everything for getting her inducted into the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. She said he nominated her and sent in all the required paperwork to get in inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“Without him, I would not have been inducted,” she said. “He told me that was one of his goals before he retired. I’m so grateful to him for that.”