The Life of Opal Brownell Lummus
New Iberia—A service celebrating the life of Opal Brownell Lummus Derouen, 84, of New Iberia will be held on Sunday, April 22, 2007 at 2:30 P.M. in Highland Baptist Church. Leading the celebration will be Dr. Steve Horn, Dr. David Denton, Reverend David Jeffreys, and Reverend Zack Young. Providing musical selections will be Hellon Hodge. Interment will follow in Lafayette Memorial Park.
Mrs. Derouen’s wishes were that everyone wear red or other bright colors—bright outfits for the ladies and bright ties for the gentlemen—to this celebration of her life. She wanted everyone to be joyful at the knowledge that she is in heaven.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2007 from 3:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. in David Funeral Home. Visitation will continue on Sunday from 8:00 A.M. until service time in the funeral home.
Mrs. Derouen passed away on Friday, April 20, 2007 at 12:40 P.M. in a New Iberia hospital.
A native of Beldeau and longtime resident of New Iberia, Mrs. Derouen was fondly known as “Opie” to everyone. As a child, she was unable to finish school, but later returned to night school and finished in time to graduate with her oldest daughter. Mrs. Derouen formerly worked as a dietician at Elizabeth Forgey Elementary School (now North Lewis Elementary School), and in the fur department at Abdalla’s.
She was a charter member of Highland Baptist Church, where she was actively involved for many years. She was a faithful member of the choir and, later, the senior choir, and she was very active in assisting the youth of the church. Mrs. Derouen also served on various church committees throughout the years.
An avid and accomplished flower gardener, Mrs. Derouen was a member of the New Iberia Garden Club. Her yard was a showplace of color and she once won the Club’s Garden of the Year award. Mrs. Derouen’s neighbors felt at home in her yard, and could be found there on most days visiting and drinking coffee on her front porch.
As much as she loved her church and her gardening, Mrs. Derouen’s greatest joy was her family. She was blessed to have been married to three wonderful Christian men. All of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were made to feel very special, and she never missed the important events in their lives. Mrs. Derouen was always there to see their dance recitals or cheer at their baseball games and other activities.
Even as she lay ill in her hospital bed, Opie was always thinking of others, letting them know that she was praying for them. She did not want anyone to be too concerned, for she knew that she was on her way to a better place.
Surviving to remember Mrs. Derouen are her husband, Leroy “T-Pop” Derouen of New Iberia; daughters, Barbara Ann Brownell Rogers and husband, Terry Craig Rogers of Lafayette and Nancy Jean Brownell Teer and husband, Phillip Roy Teer of New Iberia; stepsons, Sanford Lummus and wife, Glen of Orange, TX, Tomy Derouen of New Iberia, and Chad Derouen of New Iberia; stepdaughters, Cindy Derouen Verrett and husband, Joey of Lake Charles and Cathy Derouen Mixon and husband, Frank, Jr. of New Iberia; sisters, Lillian Guillot Patrick and husband, George of Dunn, Mary Langlois of Erwinville, and Dorothy Dean Donechurch and husband, George of Port Allen; brothers, P.W. Guillot and wife, Lula of Plaucheville, Cecil Guillot of Houston, TX, John Guillot of Springhill, Erwin Guillot of Erwinville, and Troy Guillot and wife, Betty of Alexandria; grandchildren, Gwen Richard and husband, Wilton of Duson, Glenn Hebert and wife, Martha of Lafayette, Beth Bourque and husband, Mike of New Iberia, and Amy Denise and husband, Jason of New Iberia; great-grandchildren, Scott and Jason Richard of Duson, Marilyn and Richard Hebert of Lafayette, Derrick and Lanie Romero of New Iberia, and Ashlen and Brayden Bourque of New Iberia; special neighbors, Olivera Lazic and Zlatko Salihbegovic; as well as several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren, all of whom she considered her own.
Preceding Mrs. Derouen in death were her first husband, Douglas Ray Brownell; second husband, Willard Ray Lummus; parents,Wilno Pierre and Emma Broussard Guillot; and brothers, Alvin, Douglas, Wallace, Fremin, and Raymond Guillot.
Serving as pallbearers are Phil Teer, Terry Rogers, Glenn Hebert, Wilton Richard, Mike Bourque, Jason Denise, Derrick Romero, Scott Richard, Jason Richard, and Richard Hebert. Named as honorary pallbearers are Frank Mixon, Tomy Derouen Chad Derouen, Joey Verrett, P.W. Guillot, Troy Guillot, Leroy Jones, and George Patrick.
The family has requested that memorial donations be made to Highland Baptist Church gymnasium fund.
David Funeral Home of New Iberia is in charge of arrangements.
