Barbara Beyt Shea Jones

New Iberia, Louisiana - A Mass of Christian Burial for Barbara Beyt Shea Jones, 87, will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, December 21, 2016, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in New Iberia, Louisiana. The family will receive visitors at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia on Tuesday, December 20th from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with Recitation of the Rosary at 6:30 PM. Visitation will resume at the funeral home on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 from 10:00 AM until 1:15 PM. Entombment will follow at Holy Family Cemetery in New Iberia. Born on April 9, 1929 in St. Martinville, Louisiana, and a life-long resident of New Iberia, Barbara died peacefully surrounded by her loving and devoted family on Friday, December 16, 2016. She was a graduate of Mercy High School in St. Martinville, Louisiana and a graduate of Dominican College in New Orleans, Louisiana with a degree in Home Economics. Barbara was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She was known for her vitality, exuberant personality, congenial hospitality, and for always being the life of the party. Affectionately known to her grandchildren as Momsie, Poppy or Big Mama, Barbara was the perpetual matriarch of her extended family. Her immeasurable love and care for her family was a testament to her bountiful spirit. She served as a vital spark to her family, and prevailed as a touchstone to each and every one of them by instilling strongly held traditions, morals and values. This will be the hallmark of her family legacy. With her infectious joie de vivre and adventurous spirit, life with Barbara was rarely boring. She experienced much of the world as an avid traveler, and enjoyed the game of bridge, tennis, LSU football (with her husband Eddie and close friends the Courtois), volunteering as a Pink Lady at Dauterive Hospital, and power shopping (especially at the House of Cache). Despite Barbaras age, her gusto for life and youthful energy continued to characterize her later years. At age 50, Barbara, her sister-in-law Harriet Shea, and other friends, enrolled at USL. They took class time seriously, but light-heartedly replaced test days with shopping sprees at Abdallas. As patrons of the arts and benefactors to their community, this fun-loving group of friends went on to establish the still-active group known as The Friends of the Humanities. As a lively bon vivant, Barbara was also a founding member of the W.O.W. (Widows of the World). This spontaneous and spirited group of friends enjoyed frequenting theaters, dinner parties and fine restaurants (sometimes arriving by limousine). The steadfast relationships she nurtured with these friends, and those from her bridge club and Fortnightly Club, remained some of her closest and most loyal friends to the end. She was preceded in death by her mother, Eula Bonin Beyt; her father, Dr. John Lamar Beyt, Sr.; sister, Dorothy Beyt Broussard; brothers, Brannan Berchman Beyt and Dr. John Lamar Putsy Beyt, Jr.; her first husband, E.S. Buddy Shea, Jr.; and her second husband, Dr. Harry Jones. She is survived by her children, E. Stewart Shea III and wife Becky, Suzy Shea Kimball and husband Mike, Maureen Shea Smith and husband Jay, all of New Iberia, Louisiana; Katy Shea Svendson and husband Lawrence, of Lafayette, Louisiana, and Stephanie Shea Zehner and husband Bob, of San Francisco, California; grandchildren, E. Scott Shea, Emily Shea, Jonathon Smith, Margaret Smith, Clare Svendson Roubion, Courtney Svendson, Shea Svendson, Anna Zehner, and Henry Zehner; the spouses of her grandchildren: Amanda Shea, Michelle Smith, Caitlin Smith and Ross Roubion; great grandchildren, Edward Scott Shea II, Matthew Scott Shea, Evan Comeaux, and Annaka Smith; step-children: Bobby Jones and wife Monica, Dr. Johnny Jones and wife Patrice, Julie Jones Landry and husband Dr. Keith, Linda Jones Rachal and husband Mickey, Nancy Hollier and husband Mike, Donna Jones Simmel and husband Mike; and 14 step grandchildren. She is also survived by in-law family members, Teasa and Tommy deGeneres, Dr. Klebert Jones, Jim Oliver, and Harriet and Jerry Shea, Sr. Serving as pallbearers are Tommy DeGeneres, Mike Kimball, Jerry Shea Sr., E. Scott Shea, Jonathon Smith, Jay Smith, Lawrence Svendson, Bob Zehner and Henry Zehner. Honorary pallbearers are Bert Beyt, Bob Beyt, Dr. Johnny Beyt, Sammy Broussard, Pat Huckabay, Korey Kimball, Jerry Shea Jr., and Jimmy Shea. Gift bearers will be Barbaras granddaughters, Clare Svendson Roubion, Emily Shea, Margaret Smith, Courtney Svendson, Shea Svendson, and Anna Zehner. Scripture readers will be her nieces, Michelle Cart, Simone Guillory, Kelly Holleman, Lamar Lopresto, Sheila Molbert, Dr. Ellen Mullen, and Mary Zaunbrecher. The Shea family would like to express special thanks to the following people for the love and kindness they gave to Barbara during her most difficult times, and her happier times: Rose Batiste, Teasa deGeneres, Susu Escuriex, Mildred Etienne, Bertye Evans, Gladys and Gerard Fournet, Bonnie Hebert, Claudia Hurst, Hilda Lee, Porsha Little, Brenda Oubre, Gigi Patout, Dolores Reynolds, the excellent staff at Garden View Assisted Living in New Iberia, the staff of Bridgeways Hospice, Dr. Ellen Shea Mullen, Dr. Michelle Menard and Dr. Carl Ditch. A special loving thanks is extended to her most dedicated and loyal friend, Tommy deGeneres. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: The Sisters of Mt. Carmel, 62284 Fish Hatchery Road, Lacombe, La, 70445; Catholic High School, 1301 De La Salle Drive, New Iberia, La, 70506; Friends of the Humanities, P. O. Box 53581, Lafayette, Louisiana, 70505; or the charity or organization of your choice. Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Boulevard in New Iberia, LA, 70560 (337-365-3331) is in charge of arrangements.