The Life of Antoine Eugene Bergeaux
Broussard – A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Eugene “Gene” Bergeaux,
78, will be held at 2:00PM on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at Sacred Heart of
Jesus Catholic Church with Fr. Bill Ruskoski officiating. Interment
will follow at Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery.
Visitation will be at David Funeral Home of Lafayette on Monday, May 25, 2015 from 11:00AM until 10:00PM with a recitation of the rosary at 7:00PM. Visitation will resume on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 from 8:00AM until the time of the services.
A native of Carencro and a resident of Broussard Mr. Bergeaux died at 9:45PM on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at his residence. Gene Bergeaux was born on October 10, 1936 in Carencro, LA to Frozen Bergeaux & Ophelia Benoit Bergeaux, but he never got to know his mother due to her untimely death three months later in January of 1937 at the young age of 24. Gene, his sister and two brothers were raised by other family members, Gene being raised by his maternal grandparents, Moise & Marie Martinez Benoit. He would grow up working on his family’s farmlands, but his grandparents made sure Gene would get his education and graduate high school to make sure he had better chances in his life. He graduated from Carencro High School in 1954 and was a part of FFA, the boxing team and the football team, where he played “Iron Man” football, playing the whole game on offense and defense. Though he got offers to play football in college, Gene chose to enter the United States Navy in 1954, shipping out of San Diego to serve on the USS Philippine Sea, sailing to bases throughout the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, the Philippines, Hong Kong & Japan. During his service to our country, he also was part of the Naval boxing and softball teams, including being a Naval boxing champion and only losing one fight (by decision) through his Naval career. After he completed his honorable service in the Navy in 1958, Gene would continue to box into the early 1960’s, culminating with him winning the 1961 Louisiana Golden Gloves state boxing championship in the 175 pound weight class in Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette. In the late 1950’s, Gene would also play semi-pro baseball in the Evangeline League and would also begin his lifelong passion with bowling when he and his wife Mary began bowling in the leagues at Lafayette Lanes. They both continued bowling until the early 1970’s when they both gave up the game. Gene could not stay away from the lanes though, eventually picking up the bowling ball again in 1983 after 10 years away from the game. Over the next 31 years, Gene would rack up numerous league and tournament championships, carrying an average over 200 for many of those years and still carrying an average in the 190’s into his mid-70’s until he had to quit bowling in 2014 when he was 77 years old. He would also compete in the SASBA semi-pro senior bowling circuit in the 1990’s and 2000’s, bowling tournaments throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi, where he made many friends along the way. He would go on to throw three 300 games, the first happening on April 4, 2000 at the age of 63 at Metro Bowl in Baton Rouge and the second one on December 23, 2000 in Alexandria, where he also threw his highest ever series of 782. His final 300 came on April 4, 2008 during the De Ja Vu league at Acadiana Lanes at the age of 71, with his wife Mary and son Mark there to witness it. He also competed for a number of years in the Louisiana Senior Olympics and the Acadiana District Senior Games in bowling, winning numerous awards and medals. Gene’s passion for bowling would eventually get his Mary back into the game for many years along with all three of his sons, especially passing that passion for the game on to his son Mark and his grandson Broc , coaching his granddaughter Erin on the Comeaux High bowling team and bowling in league for many years with his niece, Linda Fay Garber. Gene was always grateful for all of the lifelong friends he made from the game of bowling and is thankful to each and every one of the special relationships he developed knocking down the pins, far too many to list here because it would take a special edition of the newspaper to list them all, just know you all had a special place in his life and you were all family to him, especially those at his second homes in Acadiana and Lafayette Lanes. Along with his passion for bowling, his other passion was fishing and spending time at the family camp they had for nearly 20 years near Port Barre, LA, where many more great memories were made spending time with family and friends.
In early 1953, Gene would meet the love of his life, Mary Ann Landry of Broussard, meeting each other at the Woody Wood Dance Club near Carencro. They got married on September 21, 1957 in Sacred Heart Church in Broussard, LA and would make their home on her family’s land in Broussard, where they lived until the day he died. Both Mary and Gene worked at the Daily Advertiser in the late 1950’s into the early 1960’s until the birth of their first son, Bryant, on June 20, 1963, at which time Mary became a stay-at-home mother. Gene would go on to work in oilfield for the rest of his life to support his family, which grew with the addition of sons Kevin on April 22, 1965 and Mark on November 5, 1973. Gene would work for several companies in the oilfield industry during his career, including Dresser Atlas, Scientific Drilling and DMI, eventually opening his own wireline company, B & H Cable Service (eventually B & B Cable Service) in 1985, where his oldest son Bryant eventually became a partner and owner in the business. Along with his 50+ years of service to the oilfield industry, Gene also had his hands in many other businesses, including owning a used car lot and owning The Daiquiri Hut from 2000-2005, working alongside his son Mark in that business for several years. "Gene worked with Deacero for many years at the end of his oilfield career and had the joy of being employed with the company until his death."
Gene went though many ups and downs in his life, but his family was more important to him than anything in the world. This is what led to him to quit drinking in 1982 and he quit smoking not long after in early 1983 to make sure he could be healthier to be here for a very long time. Gene would become a grandfather for the first time on September 2, 1985 with the birth of his grandson, Broc, then again with his granddaughters Erin on April 12, 1989, Kayla on December 14, 1989 and nearly 21 years later with his youngest grandson, Brayden on June 18, 2010. He would become a great-grandfather for the first time two years later when Erin gave birth to his great-granddaughter, Makenzie on July 19, 2012. Paw-Paw Gene was always there for his grandchildren, for every birthday, for events, high school and college graduations, or just to be there when they needed him, they could always depend on him. Once Broc, Erin and Kayla grew up into their 20’s, Gene got the new joy of having Brayden and Makenzie come along to give him so much pride and joy in his last five years with our family, he enjoyed nothing more than spending time with the two of them. He looked so forward to being able to meet his second great-grandchild that is due on October 13, 2015, three days after his 79th birthday, but his Earthly body just could not hold on for him to get to that point. In Gene and Mary’s 57+ years of marriage, a marriage that sets an example for all who knows them, they built a family legacy that will continue to carry on for generations to come, and it’s all thanks to the example he set in being a strong family man.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Landry Bergeaux of Broussard; three sons, Bryant A. Bergeaux and his wife Susan of Broussard, Kevin P. Bergeaux and his fiancé Delica Boutte of Broussard, and Mark J. Bergeaux and his wife Melinda of Broussard; four grandchildren, Broc A. Bergeaux, Erin B. Miller, Kayla Ann Bergeaux, and Brayden J. Bergeaux; five step grandchildren, Damian Tate, Aimee Landry, Blayne Boutte, Dylan Ryder, and Shelbi Ryder; two great grandchildren, Makenzie G. Miller and one on the way; and one step great grandchild, Leighton Boutte .
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frozen and Ophelia Benoit Bergeaux; his maternal grandparents who raised him, Moise and Marie Martinez Benoit; two brothers, Lee Bergeaux and Dalbert “Bobby” Bergeaux Hebert; and a sister, Mary Alice Bozyone.
Serving as pallbearers will be Bryant Bergeaux, Kevin Bergeaux, Mark Bergeaux, John Miller, Zack Blanchard, and Mike Garber.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Bradley Guilbeaux, Nolan Benoit, Bob Daigle, Avery LeBlanc, David Wayne Bergeaux, and Broc Bergeaux.
The family would like to thank all those who helped with Mr. Bergeaux through his illness over the last year: Dr. Molly Thomas and the nurses and staff at the Cancer Center of Acadiana, Dr. Wade May Dr. Mitchell Dugas, Dr. Gary Guidry, the nurses, doctors and staff at Acadiana Family Physicians, the nurses and doctors at Lafayette General Medical Center, Hospice of Acadiana and any others we may have forgotten to mention here. Mr. Gene, Mrs. Mary and the family are very appreciative and eternally grateful to each and every one of you for helping him through this difficult time and he was very close to some of the staffs at these places, especially those who helped when he was receiving his chemo treatments.
David Funeral Home of Lafayette at 316 Youngsville Hwy (337)837-9887 will be handling the arrangements.
Visitation will be at David Funeral Home of Lafayette on Monday, May 25, 2015 from 11:00AM until 10:00PM with a recitation of the rosary at 7:00PM. Visitation will resume on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 from 8:00AM until the time of the services.
A native of Carencro and a resident of Broussard Mr. Bergeaux died at 9:45PM on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 at his residence. Gene Bergeaux was born on October 10, 1936 in Carencro, LA to Frozen Bergeaux & Ophelia Benoit Bergeaux, but he never got to know his mother due to her untimely death three months later in January of 1937 at the young age of 24. Gene, his sister and two brothers were raised by other family members, Gene being raised by his maternal grandparents, Moise & Marie Martinez Benoit. He would grow up working on his family’s farmlands, but his grandparents made sure Gene would get his education and graduate high school to make sure he had better chances in his life. He graduated from Carencro High School in 1954 and was a part of FFA, the boxing team and the football team, where he played “Iron Man” football, playing the whole game on offense and defense. Though he got offers to play football in college, Gene chose to enter the United States Navy in 1954, shipping out of San Diego to serve on the USS Philippine Sea, sailing to bases throughout the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii, the Philippines, Hong Kong & Japan. During his service to our country, he also was part of the Naval boxing and softball teams, including being a Naval boxing champion and only losing one fight (by decision) through his Naval career. After he completed his honorable service in the Navy in 1958, Gene would continue to box into the early 1960’s, culminating with him winning the 1961 Louisiana Golden Gloves state boxing championship in the 175 pound weight class in Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette. In the late 1950’s, Gene would also play semi-pro baseball in the Evangeline League and would also begin his lifelong passion with bowling when he and his wife Mary began bowling in the leagues at Lafayette Lanes. They both continued bowling until the early 1970’s when they both gave up the game. Gene could not stay away from the lanes though, eventually picking up the bowling ball again in 1983 after 10 years away from the game. Over the next 31 years, Gene would rack up numerous league and tournament championships, carrying an average over 200 for many of those years and still carrying an average in the 190’s into his mid-70’s until he had to quit bowling in 2014 when he was 77 years old. He would also compete in the SASBA semi-pro senior bowling circuit in the 1990’s and 2000’s, bowling tournaments throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Mississippi, where he made many friends along the way. He would go on to throw three 300 games, the first happening on April 4, 2000 at the age of 63 at Metro Bowl in Baton Rouge and the second one on December 23, 2000 in Alexandria, where he also threw his highest ever series of 782. His final 300 came on April 4, 2008 during the De Ja Vu league at Acadiana Lanes at the age of 71, with his wife Mary and son Mark there to witness it. He also competed for a number of years in the Louisiana Senior Olympics and the Acadiana District Senior Games in bowling, winning numerous awards and medals. Gene’s passion for bowling would eventually get his Mary back into the game for many years along with all three of his sons, especially passing that passion for the game on to his son Mark and his grandson Broc , coaching his granddaughter Erin on the Comeaux High bowling team and bowling in league for many years with his niece, Linda Fay Garber. Gene was always grateful for all of the lifelong friends he made from the game of bowling and is thankful to each and every one of the special relationships he developed knocking down the pins, far too many to list here because it would take a special edition of the newspaper to list them all, just know you all had a special place in his life and you were all family to him, especially those at his second homes in Acadiana and Lafayette Lanes. Along with his passion for bowling, his other passion was fishing and spending time at the family camp they had for nearly 20 years near Port Barre, LA, where many more great memories were made spending time with family and friends.
In early 1953, Gene would meet the love of his life, Mary Ann Landry of Broussard, meeting each other at the Woody Wood Dance Club near Carencro. They got married on September 21, 1957 in Sacred Heart Church in Broussard, LA and would make their home on her family’s land in Broussard, where they lived until the day he died. Both Mary and Gene worked at the Daily Advertiser in the late 1950’s into the early 1960’s until the birth of their first son, Bryant, on June 20, 1963, at which time Mary became a stay-at-home mother. Gene would go on to work in oilfield for the rest of his life to support his family, which grew with the addition of sons Kevin on April 22, 1965 and Mark on November 5, 1973. Gene would work for several companies in the oilfield industry during his career, including Dresser Atlas, Scientific Drilling and DMI, eventually opening his own wireline company, B & H Cable Service (eventually B & B Cable Service) in 1985, where his oldest son Bryant eventually became a partner and owner in the business. Along with his 50+ years of service to the oilfield industry, Gene also had his hands in many other businesses, including owning a used car lot and owning The Daiquiri Hut from 2000-2005, working alongside his son Mark in that business for several years. "Gene worked with Deacero for many years at the end of his oilfield career and had the joy of being employed with the company until his death."
Gene went though many ups and downs in his life, but his family was more important to him than anything in the world. This is what led to him to quit drinking in 1982 and he quit smoking not long after in early 1983 to make sure he could be healthier to be here for a very long time. Gene would become a grandfather for the first time on September 2, 1985 with the birth of his grandson, Broc, then again with his granddaughters Erin on April 12, 1989, Kayla on December 14, 1989 and nearly 21 years later with his youngest grandson, Brayden on June 18, 2010. He would become a great-grandfather for the first time two years later when Erin gave birth to his great-granddaughter, Makenzie on July 19, 2012. Paw-Paw Gene was always there for his grandchildren, for every birthday, for events, high school and college graduations, or just to be there when they needed him, they could always depend on him. Once Broc, Erin and Kayla grew up into their 20’s, Gene got the new joy of having Brayden and Makenzie come along to give him so much pride and joy in his last five years with our family, he enjoyed nothing more than spending time with the two of them. He looked so forward to being able to meet his second great-grandchild that is due on October 13, 2015, three days after his 79th birthday, but his Earthly body just could not hold on for him to get to that point. In Gene and Mary’s 57+ years of marriage, a marriage that sets an example for all who knows them, they built a family legacy that will continue to carry on for generations to come, and it’s all thanks to the example he set in being a strong family man.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Mary Landry Bergeaux of Broussard; three sons, Bryant A. Bergeaux and his wife Susan of Broussard, Kevin P. Bergeaux and his fiancé Delica Boutte of Broussard, and Mark J. Bergeaux and his wife Melinda of Broussard; four grandchildren, Broc A. Bergeaux, Erin B. Miller, Kayla Ann Bergeaux, and Brayden J. Bergeaux; five step grandchildren, Damian Tate, Aimee Landry, Blayne Boutte, Dylan Ryder, and Shelbi Ryder; two great grandchildren, Makenzie G. Miller and one on the way; and one step great grandchild, Leighton Boutte .
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frozen and Ophelia Benoit Bergeaux; his maternal grandparents who raised him, Moise and Marie Martinez Benoit; two brothers, Lee Bergeaux and Dalbert “Bobby” Bergeaux Hebert; and a sister, Mary Alice Bozyone.
Serving as pallbearers will be Bryant Bergeaux, Kevin Bergeaux, Mark Bergeaux, John Miller, Zack Blanchard, and Mike Garber.
Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Bradley Guilbeaux, Nolan Benoit, Bob Daigle, Avery LeBlanc, David Wayne Bergeaux, and Broc Bergeaux.
The family would like to thank all those who helped with Mr. Bergeaux through his illness over the last year: Dr. Molly Thomas and the nurses and staff at the Cancer Center of Acadiana, Dr. Wade May Dr. Mitchell Dugas, Dr. Gary Guidry, the nurses, doctors and staff at Acadiana Family Physicians, the nurses and doctors at Lafayette General Medical Center, Hospice of Acadiana and any others we may have forgotten to mention here. Mr. Gene, Mrs. Mary and the family are very appreciative and eternally grateful to each and every one of you for helping him through this difficult time and he was very close to some of the staffs at these places, especially those who helped when he was receiving his chemo treatments.
David Funeral Home of Lafayette at 316 Youngsville Hwy (337)837-9887 will be handling the arrangements.
