Norma Hebert Larson

New Iberia – A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at Highland Baptist Church, for Norma Hebert Larson, 84. Entombment will be private.

Rev. David Denton will officiate.

Visitation will be Tuesday, from 9:00 am until 11:00 am, at Highland Baptist Church.

Norma grew up in Rynella near Avery Island. Her daddy worked in the Avery Island salt mine. Her mother ran their small dairy that helped to put Norma and her siblings through college. She learned the meaning of hard work and responsibility.

Her mother was valedictorian at New Iberia High School and Norma finished 3rd in her graduating class due to her having an English teacher who did not give “A”’s, as she believed an “A” required perfection, no matter your grade average. 

Norma began college at SLI in 1958 and graduated from USL (SLI’s name was changed to USL in 1960) in 1962. She taught at Loreauville High School during the 1961-62 school year. Norma was the English department. 

She moved to Florida in 1962 and had her children there. Stephanie was born in 1962 and Billy in 1963. Norma and her family moved back to New Iberia in 1967 and she continued her teaching career at New Iberia Junior High.

Norma transferred to NISH in 1970 as bookkeeper and registrar and held that position until 1990. During her time at NISH she was active in extracurricular activities (cheerleader sponsor and LEO club sponsor for example).

With the assistance and encouragement of her friend Carol, Norma met Steve Larson and they were married in 1976. 

When her position at NISH was eliminated, Norma transferred to Loreauville High School in 1990 and was assigned to teach 3 different subjects in her first year back in the classroom in 20 years. In typical Norma fashion, she made up her mind to succeed, no matter what it took. 

The following year, she took over the bookkeeping duties and teaching 9th grade English

It is said that if you can survive being on the road for an extended period with someone, you have a very good chance of a happy life together. Well, Norma and Steve traveled from coast to coast (North, South, East, and West). 

Norma retired from the Iberia Parish school system in 1996.

After 5 years of retirement, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and underwent over 5 months of debilitating chemotherapy. She faced it with that same determination that she had displayed during all the other difficult times in her life. In August of 2001, Norma was declared to be in remission and was able to return to the things in her life that she enjoyed.

Her last battle began in 2016 when she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. It was traced to one of her chemo drugs that was found to cause severe heart damage. Her doctor was amazed that she could still do things that most other sufferers of CHF could not dream of doing. I believe that her body and spirit adapted and she persevered. Norma held off the ravages of that condition for about 6 years (to the amazement of her doctor). She began to show signs of health decline in 2022 and it progressed slowly at first. By the end of 2023, her mobility was greatly reduced, but she still fought it with sheer determination. By January of 2025, the decline had accelerated but Norma continued to push back until she had nothing left with which to fight. She left us Saturday, February 1. 

Norma loved her children and grandchildren and, she was proud of their accomplishments. One could hear it in her voice when she spoke of them. Norma was an Hebert through and through and was proud of it 

Friendship was not a casual or part-time thing with Norma. She lived it. 

Survivors include her husband of 48 years, Steve Larson; daughter, Stephanie Lassalle (Mike) of New Iberia; son, John William “Billy” Angers, Jr. of Youngsville; grandchildren, Brandy Blaire Angers (fiancé Diwani), Johnathon William Angers (Samantha), Gabrielle Renee “Gabby” Lassalle, Tara Derise (Matthew), and Tori Bayard; siblings, Gayle Paul Hebert, Johnny Hebert (Nancy), Neil Hebert (Ruth), and Kathy Delouche (Remi).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nelson and Una Delcambre Hebert. 

If you are interested in making a charitable donation in her memory, she would be pleased if you remembered Solomon House and St. Francis Diner of New Iberia.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace, New Iberia, LA 70560 (337.365.3331)