Philip Ray “Yam” Bordelon

(December 4, 1939 - October 6, 2016)

Obituary by Joyce Nelson

Our family, our town and our friends lost one of the most memorable person to ever attend Evergreen High School . His name was “Yam”.  Philip Ray “Yam” Bordelon passed away on October 6, 2016 at his home in Clinton La.  He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ann Bonds Bordelon of Bunkie and four of their sons, Glen, Chuck, Randall and Timmy Bordelon and his four sisters, Joyce Nelson, Maurine LaCour, Carol Cashio and Mona Gaspard.  He is also survived by 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.  

He was preceded in death by his son, Tommy Bordelon, a granddaughter, and his parents, Lannie and Ollie Barbin Bordelon.  The private funeral services were held on October 13, 2016 .   

So, how do you start to describe the life of Philip Yam Bordelon.  He was an incredible person filled with love, life and laughter.  But surely laughter.  Simple as that.  It is the way Yam lived life.  Not complicated, a very humble person who loved the land and enjoyed quiet, serene surroundings.  The last 20 or so years he and Ann lived on 25 acres in the country near Clinton .  Four of their sons and their families lived on the property near them.  That was all that Yam needed or wanted to be happy, and happy he was.  If you were in his presence it was not having a conversation but rather an event filled with stories of his childhood and early years with his family.  He had this incredible dry sense of humor that kept you laughing until your belly hurt.  Sometimes the memories even evoked tears for the reminder of the years gone by.  Those years were filled with stories of hard work on the farm, fishing and hunting and living life to it’s fullest.  His favorite subject for story telling was his father, Lannie.  Today I smile just thinking of them, repeated over and over again but each time was like the first time.  Do you know a person like that?  So then how do you have a celebration of his life?  Not with tears of remorse but with memories told with  laughter, of good times in the countryside near Evergreen.  His life was not wasted for he touched each of our lives and we became a better person because of it.  In the French Heritage cookbook under Blueberry Pies, he wrote, 

I am Yam. Yes, he was.

We love you, Yam

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