Jules George Gingras, Jr.Funeral services celebrating the life of Jules George "Bud" Gingras, Jr., will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 21, 2017, at Horseshoe Drive United Methodist Church, with Reverend Marissa Teauseau officiating, with visitation from 12:00 noon until the time of service. Burial will follow in Alexandria Memorial Gardens, Woodworth, under the direction of Hixson Brothers, Alexandria.Jules George Gingras, Jr., a well-known and highly respected educator in Rapides Parish Public Schools, died on April 15, 2017. Mr. Gingras was born on August 11, 1928, in Alexandria. Louisiana.As a young man he graduated from the San Francisco Naval Apprentice Division of Mission High School. From there he joined the United States Marine Corps and served as an MP while stationed at Camp Pendleton, San Diego County, California. He returned to Louisiana and earned his BA degree from Louisiana College, and Master of Education from Louisiana State University and a +30 from Northwestern State University, with additional post graduate studies at University of Montana. His college honors included being named to Phi Delta Kappa National Honor Society.Jules, who is best known by his nickname "Bud", found his passion for teaching, serving as a substitute teacher, at Buckeye Elementary in 1952, then as an assistant principal and teacher at L.S. Rugg Elementary. He was selected to be the first assistant principal of S.M. Brame Junior High School and later moved to Cherokee Elementary where he completed his public school career as the principal from 1963-1980. His educational calling continued when he was asked to be the administrator of the new private school, North Rapides Preparatory School, where he remained until his retirement in 1986.Mr. Gingras touched many young lives through sports and community activities. His own participation in sports included playing football and baseball for Louisiana College. He was the manager of several of his son's baseball teams with the Dixie Youth Program. Young students benefitted from his coaching skills on elementary school teams that he coached. Sports fans around Alexandria remember Mr. Bud being a baseball umpire and basketball official. His greatest contribution to high school sports was as a football official from 1950 through 1982 with the Alexandria Football Officials Association. Additionally he officiated college football games in the Gulf States Conference. The Boy Scouts of America Attakapas Council was another outlet for Mr. Gingras' desire to help young people.Friends and family knew Bud as an avid sportsman. He loved to fish at his Toledo Bend camp and enjoyed shooting skeet where he was a range master. Another of his hobbies was flying, as he obtained his private pilot's license and taught ground school at Buhlow Lake Airport.As a charter member of Horseshoe Drive United Methodist Church, Jules taught Sunday school, was a member of the choir and served as an usher.He was preceded in death by his parents, Jules G. and Margaret Leigh Ison Gingras.Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife of 67 years, Betty Jane Denning Gingras; son, Jules George Gingras, III and wife, Nancy; daughter, Leigh Ann Gingras Horton; five grandsons, George S. Horton, LCDR Matthew Gingras Horton and wife, Kelly, Brett H. Horton, Benjamin K. Gingras and wife, Julie, CSSN Jules George Gingras, IV; three great granddaughters, Taylor Horton, Mackenzie Horton, and Eloise Horton. He is also survived by loving members of the George and Betty Pearce family and the David and Louise Garrett family.The family has designated the Glen Denning Devanie Memorial Scholarship Fund, Criminal Justice Department, Northwestern State University, 103 Kyser Hall, Natchitoches, LA. 71457, for memorial contributions.To extend online condolences to the Gingras family, please visit us at www.hixsonbrothers.com.