The Life of Bertha Rose Alesi
Funeral Services will be held at a 10:00 am Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, July 5, 2010 at St. Mary Church for Bertha Rose Mouton Alesi, 85, who passed away on Friday, July 2, 2010 at 2:30AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. Her son, Tom was with her when she died. Her death was the result of a stroke, which occurred ten days earlier.
Reverend Harold Trahan, Pastor of St. Mary Church, will be Celebrant of the Mass and will conduct the funeral services. Burial will take place in the family plot in Holy Mary, Mother of God Cemetery on Johnston Street.
Bertha Rose Mouton Alesi, a resident of Lafayette, Louisiana, was born on April 1, 1925 in Lafayette. She was the only child of Jules and Amedia Meaux Mouton, residents of Milton.
Mrs. Alesi instilled a strong sense of family in her children and grandchildren by gathering the entire family for Sunday lunch until she suffered a stroke in 2003. Favorite family recipes were her chicken soup and breaded veal.
This strong sense of family was perpetuated in the grandchildren by their annual summer vacation with Grandma and Grandpa Alesi to Six Flags or Astro World, which the grandchildren looked forward to throughout the year.
Mrs. Alesi met her future husband while he was stationed in Lafayette with the Army Air Corps during World War II. After his discharge they married and moved to San Diego, California, which is where his parents were living. They returned to Lafayette in 1957 immediately following the aftermath of Hurricane Audrey. They opened Alesi’s Pizza House, the first Italian Restaurant in the area.
Mrs. Alesi was a soul mate to her husband of 65 years, Mariano “Mike” Alesi, preparing the sauces and lasagna at home for use in the restaurant for many years. Huge pots of sauce simmered on the stove and the sweet smell of spaghetti sauce greeted visitors at the door.
Mrs. Alesi was a beautiful, gracious, soft-spoken, gentle, easy-going person, who was devoted to her family. She was loving, generous, and accepting, never speaking an unkind word about anyone. Her granddaughters admired her sense of style and considered her to be “the epitome of a lady”.
Mrs. Alesi was preceded in death by her parents, Amedia and Jules Mouton. She is survived by her husband, Mariano Alesi and their four sons, eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren: Jerome Alesi, his wife, Linda and their two daughters Claire Alesi Dean and Erin Alesi; Michael Alesi, his wife Ann, and their children Mari, Lauren Alesi Gaspard and Joshua Alesi; Thomas Alesi, his wife Paula, and their children Angela Alesi Robichaux and Avery Alesi; and Charles Alesi and his daughter Marianna Alesi; her two beloved great grandchildren, who brought great joy to her heart, are Sophia Rose Alesi and Mariano Alesi, children of Mari and Allison Alesi.
Lectors will be her granddaughters, Lauren Alesi Gaspard and Erin Alesi. Granddaughters Angela Alesi Robichaux, Marianna Alesi, and Claire Alesi Dean will serve as gift bearers. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Mari, Josh and Avery Alesi, and her grandsons-in-law Ben Robichaux, Christopher Dean and Brandon Gaspard.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Delhomme Funeral Home of Lafayette on Sunday, July 4, 2010 from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm and will continue on Monday at 8:00 am until time of service. A rosary will be recited on Sunday evening at 6:30 pm by Deacon Julian Judice.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that charitable contributions be made in the name of Mrs. Alesi to Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston St., Ste. 200, Lafayette, LA 70503.
Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.
