Judith Ann Trahan Dauterive

 New Iberia - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Judith Ann Trahan Dauterive, 85, at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024 at St. Peter's Catholic Church with the Reverend David Furka officiating. Entombment will follow at Holy Family Mausoleum. Visitation will be held at Pellerin Funeral Home on Sunday, April 7 from 5 to 9 p.m. with a rosary being recited at 6 p.m. by her classmates from the 1957 class of Mount Carmel Academy. Visitation will continue at Pellerin Funeral Home on Monday from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Mrs. Dauterive died on April 2, 2024 at Landmark of Acadiana nursing facility. 

Judy humbly asked that others simply remember her as a kind person, but she was much more than that. She was proud to be a lifelong New Iberia resident aside from the three years she lived in New Orleans as a young child during WWII. She was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church and a 1957 graduate of Mount Carmel Academy. During her time as a Carmel girl, Judy’s clerical abilities stood out as she held many positions including reporter and news editor of Carmel Hi-Lites, the school newspaper, and secretary of her senior class. She proudly performed the duties of class secretary for 67 years.

After graduating high school, Judy attended Spencer Business College in Lafayette. Upon completing her coursework there, she was hired as a secretary for Loffland Brothers Company, which would serve as a springboard for her lifelong career as a secretary. Judy’s meticulous knack for organization, skill at writing in shorthand, and amiable disposition were qualities that contributed to her success and passion for clerical work. 

After taking time off from her career to raise her children, Judy returned to work as a secretary in the oilfield. Later, she would become the secretary for Judge Jerry Wattigny, the job she always boasted to be her favorite. Her beloved presence as a secretary in the judges’ chambers was evident as everyone who worked in the Iberia Parish Courthouse during her tenure “loved Mrs. Judy.” She was honored to be Judge Wattigny’s secretary for almost twenty years and retired in 2007. 

Judy and her husband, Eddie, were high school sweethearts who endured a loving marriage for 57 years. They enjoyed traveling together, taking jaunts to New Orleans and staying at The Monteleone Hotel in their younger days. Later in life, they cruised the coast and took their all-time favorite trip to Key West. As they traveled, they enjoyed music from the ‘50s and ‘60s, especially their favorite, Johnny Mathis. 

Aside from her career, Judy’s hobbies highlighted her creative abilities. She was a master seamstress and sewed everything imaginable from evening gowns to suits to costumes. Her creations were so well made that they were often mistaken for store-bought clothing. Judy also enjoyed her time as a member of Le Petit Jardin garden club in the ‘60s and ‘70s. She won awards for her floral design entries in the Sugar Cane Festival flower show. Additionally, Judy was an accomplished pianist. Her children have fond memories of her music resonating throughout their childhood home.

After retirement, Judy renewed her passion for writing as a student in UL Lafayette’s life writing program. This eventually spurred her to publish her own memoir, Memories of a Small Town Girl. Her autobiography recounts stories from a lifetime of friendships, family, and milestones while conveying the pride she had for her hometown of New Iberia. Through the life writing program, she also served as a contributing writer and editor for several different publications about New Iberia and Acadiana. 

Judy also kept busy during retirement by researching the Trahan family’s genealogy, tracing her ancestry 13 generations back to the year 1570 in France. Her records show the Trahan family’s origins in Montreuil, France and track its movement to Belle-Île-en-Mer, France, then to Grand Pré, Nova Scotia, and eventually to Louisiana. She worked tirelessly to establish a detailed and accurate record of the Trahan lineage for future generations.

Most importantly, Judy had an unwavering faith in God and modeled her trust in Him by praying openly. Through the years, her children, grandchildren, and friends entrusted Judy with their prayer intentions as she would add them to her cherished “prayer list.” She firmly believed that “God answers.” 

She is survived by her three children, Michele Dauterive Stelly and her husband Dwain of New Iberia, Patrice Dauterive-Mallach and her husband Chad of New Iberia, and Edward Anthony Dauterive V and his wife Alexia of Austin, TX; eight grandchildren, Matthew Stelly of New Iberia, Alix Stelly Devine and her husband Stephen of Lafayette, Ryan Dauterive and his wife Ashley of Carencro, Aryn Dauterive of Lockhart, TX, Kady Dauterive of New Iberia, and Olivia, Grant, and Ava Dauterive, all of Austin, TX; step-grandson, Joseph Mallach of Phoenix, AZ; five great-grandchildren, Desmond, Theodore, and Winston Dauterive, and Lincoln and Cora Devine; two brothers, Kenneth Trahan and his wife Yolanda of Houma, and Donald Trahan, who is also her godson, and his wife Stephanie of New Iberia; and goddaughter, Carol Dauterive Cate of Allen, TX. 

She was preceded in death by her infant son, Edward Anthony Dauterive IV, her husband, Edward Anthony Dauterive III, her parents, Edward “Bud” and Heloise Trahan, maternal grandparents, Joseph Auguste Trahan and Celestine Baudry Trahan, and paternal grandparents Edward Trahan Sr. and Alix Landry Trahan. 

Pallbearers will be Edward Anthony Dauterive V, Dwain Stelly, Matthew Stelly, Ryan Dauterive, Chad Dauterive-Mallach, and Stephen Devine. Grant Dauterive will serve as an honorary pallbearer. Her brothers, Kenneth J. Trahan and Donald E. Trahan, will escort her into church. 

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Landmark of Acadiana for caring for Judy with such kindness, patience, and dignity during her final days.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made in her name to the Sisters of Mount Carmel, sistersofmountcarmel.org, or to Catholic High School, 1301 de La Salle Drive, New Iberia, LA 70560. 

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd, New Iberia, LA 70560, 337.365.3331 is in charge of the arrangements.