Elda Rouly Viator

NEW IBERIA – A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Elda Marie Rouly Viator, age 80, at 10:00 am Monday, August 12, 2013 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. Fr. Paul Onuegbe, Pastor of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, will be the celebrant and conduct the Mass. Interment will follow in Holy Family Cemetery.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at Evangeline Funeral Home on Sunday from 1:00 pm and will continue until 10 pm with the Rosary being recited at 6:30 pm. Visitation will resume at 8 am on Monday until the time of service.

Elda was a gracious lady with a vivacious personality who loved life and brought joy and smiles to everyone she met. She was a loving wife and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was a wonderful cook and shared many memorable meals with her family and friends. Most will remember her for her generous and kind heart, and love of life itself. Never without a smile and lived her life to ensure that her family and friends were taken care of. Elda and her husband, Purlis, owned and operated Purlis J. Viator, Inc. for over twenty-five years. She leaves behind many fond memories that will forever be cherished by all who knew and loved her. She passed away peacefully on Friday, August 9, 2013 at Iberia Medical Center, with her family at her side.

Survivors include her husband of 59 years, Purlis J. Viator, Sr. of New Iberia, her daughters, Rachel Viator Sturlese and husband Tony of New Iberia, Belinda Viator Simon and husband Glynn of Coteau, and Elda Faye Viator Gray of New Iberia. She will greatly missed by her grandchildren, Skye Sturlese Fantaci (Matt), Stacey Sturlese Davidson (Spence), Kacie Gray (Logan), and Shawn Kevin Simon (Erica). MawMaw “Vic” was the proud great-grandmother of John Tanner Davidson, Charlotte Elizabeth Fantaci, and Gage Michael Simon.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otis Rouly and Azema Rivette Rouly, her precious son, Purlis J. Viator, Jr. and son-in-law, Howard Gerard Gray, her sisters, Sylvia Leleux and Loudell Babineaux, and brothers, Earl, Huey, and Overton “Nookie”, Rouly.

Serving as pallbearers will be Mark Rouly, Otis Rouly, Kenneth Rouly, Keith Leleux, Larry Kohnke, and Patrick Richard. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandson and grandsons-in-law, Shawn, Matt, Spence, and Logan, and dear friends, Ronald “Mousy” Derouen, Fabo Dugas, and brother-in-law, Merlin Bourque.

The family would like her loving caregivers Yvonne Lane and daughter Vassana, Jackie Thomapson, Shirley Thomas, Larae Kennerson, Charmaine Copper. Special thanks to Dr. Ditch and Dr. Gulotta and all the staff Iberia Medical who took such loving care of Ms. Viator.

To view the online obituary, video tribute, and sign the guest register, please visit www.evangelinefuneralhome.com

Evangeline Funeral Home of New Iberia (337) 364-1881 is in charge of arrangements.