Janice Barras Elias

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 108 E. St. Peter Street, New Iberia, for Janice Barras Elias, 89 who passed away peacefully on Monday, September 16, 2024. The church will be open from 9:30 am until 11:00 am for visitation. Eulogies will be read at 10:30 am. Entombment will follow at Holy Family Cemetery, 2807 Curtis Lane, New Iberia. Reverend David Furka will be the celebrant.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons: Andrew Elias, Benjamin Spicer, Adam Fenstermaker, Bradley Thornton, Jacob Thornton, Anthony Van DuZee and Patrick Van DuZee, her grandsons-in-law, Robert Fairley, Brett Ferguson, Justin Church, Anthony Curtrera and step grandson, Justin Doll. Honorary pallbearer is Danny Barras. Gift bearers will be Lynn Stephenson and Catherine “Twiggy” Barber. Readers will be Elizabeth Cutrera and Emily Ferguson.

Janice was born in St. Martinville, Louisiana, on January 2, 1935, to Lorena and Wilfred Barras. She attended Our Lady of Mercy High School and graduated in 1953. After high school she attended and graduated from Beauty School. On September 12, 1954, she married Gerald Elias, a pre-med student at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). They made their first home in St. Martinville where she opened “Janice’s Beauty Salon” and welcomed their first of seven children. After Gerald was accepted into Medical School, she made a home in New Orleans and welcomed three more children. In 1963 they moved to Baltimore, Marland, while Gerald did his residency/internship and they welcomed their fifth child. The family moved back to St. Martinville where Gerald worked at the Infirmary and they welcomed their sixth child. They finally settled in New Iberia where she assisted Gerald in opening his medical practice and welcomed their seventh child.

Family and friends will remember Janice for her devotion to her faith and her family. She was an accomplished seamstress, who took pride in designing and making Easter and Christmas outfits, prom, debutant and wedding dresses for all of her daughters. She enjoyed playing a game of bridge with her lady friends at least once a week and never missed a bingo game at Azalea Estates.

She is survived by her six daughters: Karen Doll and husband Bob, Harriet Hoag, Charlotte Spicer, Frances Fenstermaker and husband Mark, Edith Thornton and husband Lyman, Michelle Van DuZee and husband Tony, and her brother, Norman Barras

She is also survived by grandchildren, Andrew Elias, Rebecca Elias, Megan Fairley and husband Robert, Emily Ferguson and husband Brett, Mary Frances Church and husband Justin, Elizabeth Cutrera and husband Anthony, Laura Spicer, Benjamin Spicer, Adam Fenstermaker, Karen Fenstermaker, Bradley Thornton, Jacob Thornton, Anthony Van DuZee and wife Coral, Patrick Van DuZee and wife Victoria, Caroline Van DuZee, Adrianne Van DuZee and step-grandchildren, Justin Doll and wife Naomi, Ashley Cifreo and husband Chris. Additionally she is survived by her 11 great grandchildren, Juliet and Claire Fairley; Harper and Eliette Church; Mary Catherine, Cecilia, William, Elias and Joseph Cutrera; Ledgen Girouard, Wren Van DuZee, as well as eight step-great grandchildren, Aubrey, Adley, Averie and Andi Doll; Jennifer, Katherine, William and Benjamin Cifreo.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald J. Elias, Sr., her son, Gerald J. Elias, Jr., her sons-in-law, Monty Hoag and Glen Ward, her parents, Lorena and Wilfred Barras, her brothers, Marvis and Gerald Barras and her sisters, Lois Cunningham and Doris Duplantis.

The family wishes to express its deep thanks and gratitude for the loving care given to their mother by: Annie Mae McFarlin, Connie Savoy, Shirley Davis, all the staff and caregivers at Azalea Estates Assisted Living and Hospice of Acadiana

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to the Team Gleason Foundation, for ALS, P.O. Box 24493, New Orleans, LA 70184, www.teamgleason.org, or to St. Jude’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston Street, Suite 200, Lafayette, LA 70503.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560 (337-365-3331).