Yvonne is survived by her loving children Cindy Bourgeois, Bruce Bourgeois, Kim Prevost (Maurice), and Dawn Rivas (Salvador); and her grandchildren David Rivas (Caitlyn), Erica Hee (Chris), Caroline Denison (Bryant), and Madeline Duncan (Alec). She is also survived by her great grandchildren Avery, Parker, Mason, Eli, Sydney, and Brooks.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband of 47 years, Dennis Bourgeois, her brothers Burton, Hubert, Jerome, Richard, and James Gremillion, Jr.
Yvonne was born in Baton Rouge and raised in Uptown New Orleans where her love for people, food, and sports grew. She attended Our Lady of Lourdes Grammar School and St. Mary’s Dominican High School, class of 1955. After high school, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to business school. She was employed with Ingram Corporation where she made many lifelong friends. It wasn’t long before her passion for helping others led her to opening her business, Bourgeois Staffing, Inc. Yvonne poured her heart for many years into her business but also into her family. If you knew Yvonne, you knew her love for her Catholic faith, family, politics, and her LSU tigers were at the top of her list. While her given name was Yvonne, the most important names to her were Mom, Bon Bon, and GiGi. To know Bon Bon, was to know love. She loved deeply and unconditionally. Many of her children and grandchildrens’ friends quickly adopted her as their own bonus mom or grandmother. Her home was always open and there was a good chance if you came to visit, she was going to feed you or sit and share a cocktail with you. Her family’s fondest memories were usually around a dinner table, but others also include watching an LSU football game, trips to Destin in the summer, or spending time together during Christmas – her favorite holiday. She made even the smallest meals special, always using the good china and savoring her visits with family and friends.
In addition to loving her family and friends, Yvonne also had a deep love for her faith. A devout Catholic, Yvonne was always involved in her church parish, Mary Queen of Peace, on the stewardship committee, Haiti ministry, and Fleur de Fall committee to name a few.
It is easy to say that Yvonne always lived life to the fullest. She was fun and young at heart even until her later years. She was a gift who taught all those who knew her to love one another, and to do so deeply.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Funeral Mass, officiated by Fr. Robert Cooper, at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church,1501 W. Causeway Approach, Mandeville, LA on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 12:30 PM with visitation from 10:30 AM -12:30 PM. A Rosary will be prayed at 11:30 AM and Words of Remembrance will begin at 12:15 PM.
Interment will follow at St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memory of Yvonne can be made to Compassionate Burials for Infant Babies (CBIB). P.O. Box 778 Lacombe, LA 70445. (504) 202-3111 or online at https://cbibinc.com
