St. Martinville - A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3:00 pm, on Friday, July 13, 2012, at St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville, for Walter P. Messa, Sr., 82, who passed away on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at the funeral home from 9:00 am until 2:30 pm on Friday. A rosary will be recited at 1:00 pm on Friday.

Rev. Austin Leger will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Interment will follow at St. Michael Mausoleum in St. Martinville.

Mr. Messa was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He was retired from the oil and gas industry, where he worked as a drilling engineer. In his free time he enjoyed gardening and loved cooking.

He is survived by three sons, Walter P. Messa Jr. and his wife, Nancy, Rickey Messa and his wife, Cheryl, and Richard Messa and his wife, Amy; his daughter, Brenda Wentzell; 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Elaine Zegura Messa; his parents, David and Viola Serpas Messa; two sisters and two brothers.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 112 New Market St., St. Martinville, LA 70582, (337.394.9121), is in charge of arrangements.

To view on-line obituary, sign guestbook and view video tribute, go to www.pellerinfuneralhome.com