Sonia Sterling Hebert

Sonia and her parents escaped communist Cuba in 1963, when she was 16, to reconnect with her younger brother, Francisco "Frank" who had been sent to America several months earlier in the Peter Pan Program. The family was finally reunited in Albuquerque, NM before finally residing in Morgan City, LA in 1964. The number of other Cuban immigrants they joined there, made Morgan City feel like "home". After Sonia married Julius and started a family she spent over 18 years as a child care provider to many children in Morgan City. She made a profound impact on those kids and their families; she treated them all like one of her own.

Sonia enjoyed many simple things in life. Putting oil paints to canvas and creating masterpieces. Her South Louisiana sceneries, her depiction of primitive life , and flowers were worthy of any art gallery. Bob Greenwood was her favorite teacher. Although not formally trained on guitar, Sonia was a very accomplished guitarist and singer. She spent her early days in Morgan City playing with her good friends, the Billeaudeaux's, and always played for her family and friends at most gatherings. Sonia's competitive spirit was never more evident than when playing a round of dominoes with friends and family or a game of parcheesi with her children and grandchildren. Sonia's ability to make a person smile or laugh with a dirty joke or prank was only rivaled by the way she could pull at your heartstrings with accounts of her childhood and struggles she and her family faced when they left Cuba. Whether she was cooking, cleaning or it was a day that ended with "y", Sonia would always have on a full face of makeup, decked out in jewelry, and whatever perfume of the month she was using at the time. The amazing Cuban and Louisian dishes that came out of her kitchen were often the talk of the town, or at least to the friends of her children. Sonia's generous nature to give a meal, a smile, a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on will be missed but truly never forgotten.

Sonia is survived by Julius F. Hebert Jr. and their five children, Julius F. Hebert III and girlfriend Brandy Mullins, Caridad Hebert Blum and husband Jeffery Louis Blum, Lionel Joseph Hebert and wife Nicole Spano Hebert, Gary P. Hebert and wife Francis Scarlet Hebert, Christina Hebert Bourg and husband Jean Paul Bourg; one brother, Francisco and wife Judith Sterling; 10 grandchildren, Lilah Grace Hebert, Ella Olivia Hebert, Adam Sterling Blum, Jacob Louis Blum, Joseph James Hebert, Luke Anthony Hebert, Mia Francis Hebert, Sophia Francis Bourg, Olivia Christina Bourg, and Jean-Luc Marcel Bourg; niece, Jennifer Sterling and nephew Francisco J. Sterling

The family would like to give a special thanks for their care and help, to the staff at Terrebonne General, the staff at Ochsner St. Mary, Morgan City Police Department and the Morgan City Fire Department, staff of Acadian Ambulance, and Dr. William Cefalu Jr..

A Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday, April 9, 2021 at 11:00 am, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Following the services, Sonia will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery. A gathering of family and friends will be held after interment at the Elks Lodge, at 504 Second St. in Morgan City.