Rosa Bayard Lopez, a devoted mother and beloved grandmother and great grandmother, passed away peacefully in the early morning of April 11, 2020 in Slidell, Louisiana. She lived a beautiful and vibrant life of 101 years.
Rosa was born January 3, 1919 in Patoutville, Louisiana to the late Ernest Baron Bayard and the late Claire Gary Bayard, one of six children to that blessed union. She was a longtime resident of New Iberia, having worked with Nereaux’s Floor Covering conducting administrative and customer service duties for many years.
Outside of her work, Rosa gave of herself and her time in various capacities. She served as President of the P.T.A. at various schools in the area and worked to organize numerous school functions. She was a member of The Daughter’s of the American Revolution, The Rebecca’s, and loved to pray with her local rosary group. After her husband’s death in 1983, she turned to volunteer work in service of her community. She spent over 12 years volunteering at Dauterive’s Hospital and St. Vincent DePaul’s Diner. Some of Rosa’s pastimes were cooking, baking and gardening. Her garden produced bountiful vegetables and wonderful flowers and lilies which were featured on the altar at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. She leaves a legacy of faith, love and compassion that will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to have known her.
Survivors include her children, Susan Lopez Sealy (Ronnie Carnesi) of Slidell and Darryl Lopez (Lois) of Washington State; a daughter-in-law, Mary Richard Lopez of Baton Rouge; her grandchildren, Denise Salts, Gloria Lopez, Tammy Bergman (Al), Michael Sealy (Christine), Jared Sealy, Craig Lopez, Casey Lopez (Brea) and Candace Lopez Simpson (Trenton); 9 great grandchildren, Tara Olson, Jennifer Harmon, Kim Schroeder, Sarah Salts, John Salts, II, Adaline Simpson, Harrison Simpson, Bennett Lopez and Phaedra Sealy; Her God-daughter, Joan Ellender; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Pete Lopez, Sr., her daughter, Gloria Lopez; her son, Pete J. Lopez, Jr.; in-laws, Etienne Lopez and Anita Huval Lopez; three sisters, Elise Bayard Hulin (Durice), Louise Bayard Bourgeois (Wilson) and Amenthe Bayard Migues (Carol); and two brothers, Alfred Bayard and Paul Bayard.
A memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am Saturday, January 9, 2021 at her beloved St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Msgr. Keith DeRouen will be the celebrant. Following the mass, she will be laid to rest with her husband and daughter at Memorial Park Cemetery.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at Evangeline Funeral Home Saturday, January 9 from 9:00 am until dismissal at 10:45 am.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the family of Mr. Louis Metz, his daughter Lynn, her husband Wayne, and their three children for taking such wonderful care of her in her later years before she moved away from New Iberia.
Family and friends are encouraged to share their memories and condolences by visiting Mrs. Lopez’s memorial page at www.evangelinefunerlhome.com
Evangeline Funeral Home of New Iberia is in charge of arrangements.
