Barbara Ellen Hebert

Abbeville—A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church honoring the life of Barbara Ellen Hébert, 91, of Abbeville, Louisiana, who passed away Sunday, May 14, 2023, at her home. She will be laid to rest at St. Paul Cemetery with Fr. Louis Richard officiating the services.

Barbara was born June 20, 1931, in Perry, Louisiana, the daughter of Gabriel and Maude (Perry) Hébert. She graduated from Abbeville High School in 1947 and was united in marriage to Joseph Pervis Hébert, Jr, on May 23, 1949.  Seven children were born to this union.

As the wife of an Air Force officer, she moved her home every few years and lived not only in her native state of Louisiana, but in Florida, Virginia, Oklahoma, Illinois, France, Germany, Ohio, and Kansas. She enrolled in college classes along the way and received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, in 1971.  Joe’s last duty station before retirement from the Air Force was as commander of the ROTC program at Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kansas. Barbara obtained a teaching position at Manhattan Junior High School in 1971 and taught French and German at both the junior and senior high schools until her retirement in 1994.  When Joe retired from his second career as director of the Adult Learning Center, the couple pulled up stakes after spending 23 years in Manhattan and returned to their home in Abbeville, Louisiana. Barbara remained active in her retirement. She was a member of Saint Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, the Woman’s Club of Abbeville, Abbeville Garden Club and the Vermilion Historical Society. She conducted Friday afternoon French classes at her home for friends, attended Abbeville’s French Table to converse in Cajun French, and performed in plays at Abbey Players.  She was an official Abbeville tour guide. Along with her husband, she belonged to the Confrerie d’Omelette Géante d’Abbeville (Confederation of the Giant Omelet of Abbeville). They were both knighted Chevaliers and participated in the annual celebration in Abbeville and frequently traveled to international omelet celebrations in Granby, Québec; Fréjus, France; Bessièrres, France; Malmédy, Belgium; and Dumbea, New Caledonia.

Barbara was an excellent cook, an avid reader, a world traveler, a skilled gardener, and a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

She is survived by her sister, Dolores (Bartie “Tinker”) Woods, Tyler, Texas, and by her children Renée (Paul) Major, Livonia, Louisiana; Elisabeth (Duncan) Boutwell, Lecompte, Louisiana; Damien (Jane) Hébert, White City, Kansas; Denise (Richard) Womack, Perryville, Missouri; Joseph P. (Lucy) Hébert III, Alva, Florida; Camille (Chris McNeil) Hébert, Columbus, Ohio; and Céleste (Gary) Edgar, Washington, Kansas. She leaves fifteen grandchildren: Clare (Andrea Cremaschi) Major, Carlos (Elizabeth) Pardo, Amy (Gustavo) Cepparo, Eric (Kat) Hebert, Dana (Greg) Korando, Stephanie (Eddy) Stewart, Ruger Hebert, Katie Anderson, Emily (Eric) Christensen, Amanda (Evan) Williams, Caitlin (James) Holley, Ian (Samantha) McNeil, Garret (Jayda) Edgar, Nathan (Micala) Edgar, and Hannah (Zak) Voelker; and twenty-seven great-grandchildren: Caden and Emmy Pardo; Sofia, Natalia, and Camila Cepparo; Drew and Anna Korando; Bryce and Brittany Stewart; Jude and Koston Anderson; Austin, Conor, and Dylan Williams; Tristan, Trace, and Maisie Holley; Casey and Drew Law; Grayson, Madix, Josslyn, Hadlee, Liam, Owen, and Theo Edgar; and Haven Voelker. Barbara is also survived by her special feline companion, Minou.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her step-mother Delta Guidry Hébert, and her husband, Joe.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Abbeville, 209 S. St. Charles St., on Friday, May 19, 2023, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a rosary being prayed at 6:30 PM; Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 9:00 AM until 12:45 PM when the procession will depart for the church.

The family wishes to thank Senior Helpers of Lafayette and Lamm Family Care Hospice of Crowley for their care and compassion.