Bobby John, Who Built J&J Exterminating Into Louisiana’s Largest Pest Control Company, Dies at 89

LAFAYETTE, La. — Robert “Bobby” John Sr., co-founder of J&J Exterminating and one of Acadiana’s most enduring business figures, died Friday, June 12, 2026, at home. He was 89.

KATC reports that John passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family.

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From Crowley Doorsteps to Statewide Success

Bobby John and his brother Harry launched J&J Exterminating out of Crowley in 1959 with no customer list and no established name. They went neighborhood by neighborhood, knocking on doors to introduce themselves and solicit business. Harry was an entomologist, and his expertise shaped the technical foundation that the company still operates on today.

Sixty-seven years later, J&J Exterminating operates 15 locations across Louisiana and into East Texas, including Tyler and Beaumont, still family-owned and locally operated. Pest Control Technology magazine has credited the company’s culture as central to its longevity.

Three Generations Carrying the Name Forward

Bobby’s son, Robert John Jr., grew up in the business, working evenings, weekends, and summers before graduating from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1984 and joining the company full-time. He later served as president, and the business has since passed to the third generation. Bobby’s grandson, Robert Lewis John III, now leads J&J Exterminating.

Bobby marked the company’s 60th anniversary in 2019 by publishing “From the Heart,” a history of J&J Exterminating written to preserve the company’s story and share its values with employees and future leadership. The 100-plus-page book traced how two brothers with no prior business experience built the largest independently-owned pest control firm in Louisiana.

J&J marked what the company called its 65th anniversary earlier this year with a gathering at the Doubletree by Hilton in Lafayette, bringing together staff from across its locations to reflect on the company’s history and map out its next chapter.

A Life Beyond Business

Outside the company, Bobby John served as a Eucharistic Minister at hospitals and nursing homes across the area.

Funeral Arrangements

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, June 19, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Lafayette. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Martin & Castille.