Wildie Degeyter Roberts

Breaux Bridge – A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at St. Bernard Roman Catholic Church  for Wildie Degeyter Roberts, 90, who passed away on Sunday, March 12, 2023, at Ochsner Lafayette General Hospital.

The family requests that visiting hours be observed from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Wednesday and continue on Thursday at 7 a.m. until 1 p.m.

A Rosary will be prayed by Deacon Marcel “Butch” Hebert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Interment will follow at St. Bernard Cemetery No. 2 in Breaux Bridge.

Wildie was a lifelong parishioner of St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister and was a member of the Altar Society, Rosary Group, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas – Court St. Paul No. 1434, and a past member of the Parish Council, serving for numerous years. 

A devout Catholic who prayed the Rosary daily, Wildie graciously gave of her time and felt honored to recite the Rosary for numerous wake services in the area. She was a faithful adorer at 5 p.m. every Thursday evening in the Chapel of Perpetual Adoration, since its inception in September 1984.

Wildie will long be remembered as being that friendly woman who greeted you with a warm and welcoming smile at Farmers-Merchants Bank and Trust in Breaux Bridge, where she retired in June 2011 after 42 years of loyal and dedicated service to the bank and her customers.  

Prior to her career at the bank, Wildie had previously worked at Breaux Bridge Sugar Co-op during sugarcane and fertilizer seasons. She also worked at the office of United Food Inc., where they processed okra for the Campbell’s Soup Company, and also shipped okra to Hammond, Louisiana for processing.

Wildie took care of newborn babies overnight and even babysat for several days at a time, for parents to go away to various conventions. Through all of her years of babysitting for families, she became very close to the children she took care of. She was always one to tend to people’s needs whenever she could and did so without any hesitation.  

Wildie was also a wonderful seamstress and a hairdresser who especially enjoyed doing hair for many of the ladies in area and did so for numerous years.

Wildie enjoyed cooking for her family and baking cakes for everyone to enjoy – she was known quite well for her “Chocolate Almond,” “Strawberry,” “Mandarin Orange,” and “Coconut” cakes, which were all delicious and would satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. You were considered to be quite fortunate if you received one of her cakes.

When Wildie was not working or volunteering her time, she loved to travel and had the opportunity to visit every state in the United States, as well as Mexico, Canada, England, Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Italy.

She was a member of the St. Martin V.F.C., A.A.R.P., the Pink Ladies, and actively participated at the Council on Aging regularly. A devoted and loving mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to many, she will be sadly missed by the many lives she’s touched during her life.

Survivors include her son, Edward “Ed” Champagne and his campanion Gerrie Ikerd; three grandchildren, Angie Scallan and her husband Brady, Denise McClure and her husband David, and David Champagne; seven great-grandchildren, Grant and Olivia Scallan; Andrew, Austin, and Isabelle Domingues; Ty A. Champagne and Brooklyn Herron; two great-great-grandchildren, Alexander Cole Champagne and Ty A. Champagne Jr.; her brother, Lloyd Degeyter; and one sister, Elaine Perioux and her husband, Ivy.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Angelbert and Inez Frederick Degeyter; three brothers, William, Wilson and Wilbert Degeyter; and one sister, Anna Mae Menard.

Pallbearers will be David Champagne, Brady Scallan, David McClure, Ty Champagne, Chris Champagne and Cory Stanfield.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Andrew Domingues, Austin Domingues and Grant Scallan.

Pellerin Funeral Home (337-332-2111) of Breaux Bridge is in charge of arrangements.

(Pd.Adv.)