Mrs. Herman J. Gesser Sr.

NEW IBERIA - A Funeral Mass for Mrs. Herman J. Gesser Sr., 97, who passed away at home Saturday morning, April 12, 2008, will be held at 11:00am Wednesday, April 16, 2008, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Iberia, with Father Michael Arnaud, Pastor of Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church, celebrating. Interment will follow at Holy Family Cemetery in New Iberia. Visitation will be held at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia. The family requests visiting hours be observed from 5:00pm until 9:00pm, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 and will resume from 8:30am until 10:30 AM Wednesday, April 16. A Rosary will be recited at 7:00pm Tuesday evening. She was born Stillman Mary Folse in New Iberia, Louisiana, May 21, 1910. She attended and graduated from Mt. Carmel Academy in 1927. After graduation, she worked for her father?s business, Edgar P. Folse Lumber Company. She married Herman J. Gesser Sr. in December 1934 and, after raising their family of four boys, lived out the duration of their nearly 60 years of marriage until Mr. Gesser died in 1993. She was a wonderful homemaker and a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She enjoyed business activities and served as CEO of Edgar P. Folse Inc. in the late 1950?s and early 1960?s. However, her greatest joy in life was spending time with her family. She is survived by four sons, Herman Jr., Edgar and his wife Karen, Gerald and his wife Cookie, all of New Iberia, and Byron and his wife Diana, of Lafayette; nine grandchildren: Deborah Gesser Gautreau Ryback and husband Kurt M. Ryback of Greensboro, North Carolina, Herman J. ""Bubba"" Gesser III of Baton Rouge, Catherine Gesser Blappert and husband Dr. Brad M. Blappert of Lafayette, Edgar A. ""Buz"" Gesser Jr. of Dallas Texas, Tanya Gesser Springer and her fianc? Scott Berg of San Diego, California, Kimberly Gesser LeBreton and husband Guy J. LeBreton of New Iberia, Elizabeth Gesser and her fianc? Dustin Dorsey of Lafayette, Byron J. ""Jim"" Gesser Jr. and wife Denise Lopez Gesser of Lafayette, and Julie Gesser McCoy and husband Timothy A. McCoy of Lafayette; and eleven great grandchildren: Adam T. Gautreau, Grant H. Gautreau, and Caroline A. Gautreau, all of Greensboro North Carolina, Isabella Faye Blappert, Alyssa Lee Gesser, William Joseph Gesser, and Hays Timothy McCoy, all of Lafayette, Hunter LeBreton and Madeline LeBreton of New Iberia, and Colin Emmett Springer and Aiden Bruce Springer of San Diego California. Also surviving are her step grandchildren, John M. Bartella of San Antonio Texas, Ryan P. Trahan and his wife Adita and their daughter Sitara of Houston Texas, Justin M. Trahan of Chicago Illinois, Dr. Emily Young Ibert and her husband A.J. Ibert of New Orleans, and Morgan J. Young and David B. Young, both of Lafayette. She is also survived by a sister, Nola Folse Fortier, three sisters-in-law, Rita O'Brien Folse, May Gesser LeBlanc, and Marguerite Gesser Wimberly, and twenty-two nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herman J. Gesser Sr., her granddaughter, Courtney Anne Gesser, her daughter-in-law, Faye Taggart Gesser, her mother and father, Edgar P. Folse Sr. and Rita Catherine Bayard Folse, her sisters, Julian Folse Watermeier and Catherine Folse Colvin, and her brothers, E. Jeffrey Folse, Wofford M. Folse and Edgar P. Folse Jr. The family would like to thank all of Mrs. Gesser's doctors, including Drs. L.O. Broussard, Paul Gulotta, Kurt O'Brien and Gerard Sigue for their wonderful care during her illness over the recent years. Special gratitude goes out to Dr. Douglas Sagrera, Mrs. Gesser's friend and personal physician of many years. Dr. Sagrera's personal concern and attention to her throughout the past years, and especially in the final months of her life, is very much admired and recognized and greatly appreciated. He, along with his assistant Ms. Pam Landry, as well as other members of his staff, worked relentlessly to ensure that she was comfortable and well taken care of. The family would also like to thank her caregivers, Shirley Breaux, Julie Broussard, Emma Jean Francis, Gladys LeMieux, and Marlene Peltier for their special care and dedication to Mrs. Gesser over the past months. A note of special thanks goes out to Mrs. Gesser's nephew, Billy Gesser, for his many years of devotion and help. Special thanks also to Robbie Folse David and Barbara Ann Sorrel, nieces of Mrs. Gesser, who provided assistance to her during her illness. Pallbearers will be Herman J. Gesser Jr., Edgar A. Gesser, Gerald C. Gesser, Byron J. Gesser, Herman J. Gesser III, Edgar A. Gesser Jr., Byron J. Gesser Jr., and Guy J. LeBreton. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Brad M. Blappert, Kurt M. Ryback, Timothy A. McCoy, and Billy Gesser. Memorials may be made to the Congregation of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, P.O. Box 476, Lacombe, Louisiana 70445-0476. Because of the solemnity of the passing of our Mother of over ninety seven years, we have chosen to avoid an after funeral reception in reverence to this Holy occasion. We ask that in lieu of the presentation of any food that masses be requested at St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Iberia. We thank you for your understanding. Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd, New Iberia, 337.365.3331 is in charge of the arrangements.