NEW IBERIA – A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of LaVerne Rita Stein Bourque will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, July 27, 2019, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Fr. Korey LaVergne will be the celebrant. Mrs. Bourque will be laid to rest with her husband at Holy Family Cemetery immediately following the Mass.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at Evangeline Funeral Home on Friday from 4:00 pm until 9:00 pm with the Men’s Group leading the recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 pm. Visiting hours will resume on Saturday from 9:00 am until 10:30 am.
Mrs. Bourque was born March 21, 1931, to the late Cleveland Stein and Elsie Deslatte Stein, and passed away peacefully on Sunday July 21, 2019, surrounded by her loving family. She was 88.
LaVerne grew up in rural Iberia Parish and attended Peebles Plantation Elementary and New Iberia High School. Although she was most proud of being a homemaker, she worked outside the home for The Rosary House making rosaries, with Avery Island Inc., and as a sales clerk at Wormser’s Dept. Store. She was a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and former parishioner of St. Marcellus Catholic church. She had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Divine Mercy.
Some of LaVerne’s favorite pastimes included square dancing with her husband Paul in the Hoedowner’s group, bird watching, and tending to her many plants. She was also a very talented seamstress and designed and sewed her daughters' clothing, and crocheted blankets for all of her grandchildren. Above all was the love and devotion she had for her husband and family. Her beautiful smile and loving heart will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved her. Rest well and until we meet again.
Survivors include her six children Pauline Bourque DuBois (Joey DuBois) of Bennettsville, SC, Bonnie Bourque Battaglia (Daryl Battaglia) of Mandeville, Michael Paul Bourque of Bologna, Italy, Paul Noe Bourque, Jr. (JoEllen Lasseigne Bourque) of New Iberia, Andy Joseph Bourque (Sandra Sanders Bourque) of Broussard, and James Edward Bourque (Wendy Duplechin Bourque) of New Iberia; nine grandchildren, Scott, Ellen, Angela, Andrea, Daryl Jr., Daniel, Dwayne, Ashley and Jamie; ten great grandchildren; and her brothers, Clifford Stein of Natchez, MS and Kelly Stein of Abbeville.
Along with her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Paul Bourque Sr., sister Delores Stein DeRise, and brother Hardy Stein.
Serving as pallbearers are Scott DuBois, Daryl Battaglia, Jr., Jamie Bourque, Daniel Bourque, Joseph Dubois, Jr. and Daryl Battaglia, Sr. Honorary pallbearers are Mitchell Battaglia and Dwayne Paul Bourque, Sr.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Bourque’s name to the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas TX 75284-0692.
The Bourque Family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the many sitters and caregivers who lovingly and professionally cared for her. They would also like to thank the staff of Heart of Hospice for their outstanding care and compassion shown to their dear mother.
Family and friends are also invited to view the memorial tribute at www.vimeo.com/349599564
To view the online obituary and to share memories of Mrs. Bourque, please visit her memorial page at www.evangelinenewiberia.com
Evangeline Funeral Home of New Iberia is in charge of arrangements.
