Virginia Olivier Yongue

Breaux Bridge – A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Virginia Olivier Yongue of Breaux Bridge, La. at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2019, at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge, La.
Visitation will be on Friday, October 11, 2019, from 2 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Pellerin Funeral Home in Breaux Bridge, La., with a Rosary prayed by the Theresians on Friday, October 11, 2019, at 4 p.m. and at 7 p.m. by Deacon Marcel “Butch” Hebert and the Catholic Daughters. Visitation will continue at 7 a.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2019, until 10:30 a.m.
Rev. Stephen Pellessier will officiate at the Funeral Mass. Readers will be Paul Yongue and Marelle Yongue Schoelerman. Gift bearers will be Kelli Hackett, Ashley Hackett and Sara Virginia Yongue.
Burial will follow in St. Bernard Cemetery #1.
Virginia is survived by seven children: Frances Kellner, Marelle (Gary Schoelerman), James (Marguerite), Susan Hackett (Mike), Paul (Penny), Thomas (Hazelann) and Richard; 12 grandchildren: James Kainer, Paul Kainer, Stacy Gauthier, Sheria Betz, Anne Baer, James Yongue Jr., Kelli Hackett, Ashley Hackett, Eric Yongue, Shane Yongue, Sara Yongue and Richard Yongue; 13 great-grandchildren: Jack Kainer, Gini Kainer, Maddie Kainer, Matthew Gauthier, Alyxandra Gauthier, Cole Gautier, Andrew Gauthier, Joey Perrine, Kayla Perrine, Grayson Baer, Henry Baer, John Yongue and Andrew Yongue.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Ernest M. Yongue; three children: Anne Elizabeth, Daniel and John; two grandchildren: John Kainer and Mike Kainer; one great-grandchild, Eric Perrine; her parents, Virginia and Daniel Olivier; and two sisters, Charlotte Billeaud and Dorothy Mills.
She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Virginia graduated from Lafayette High School in 1940. She attended SLI for a few semesters and later completed her studies and received her B.S. in Business Administration from USL in 1970.
She married Dr. Ernest M. Yongue in 1942 and began her beautiful journey. She lovingly raised 10 children and true to her nature, she became involved in their activities. She would say, “I was a ‘den’ Mom for my boy scouts; ‘pool’ Mom for my divers and swimmers; ‘dance’ Mom for the dancers and a ‘Mom Volunteer’ for all my students.”
She managed her husband and daughter’s medical practices and the family’s personal affairs and finances.
Throughout her life, Virginia remained devout in the Catholic faith and freely contributed her time to the church community and catholic school. Her involvement with St. Bernard Church gave her the opportunity to be a Lecturer and Eucharistic Minister. She was on the St. Bernard Church Council at the time the Borel Center was designed and built. She was also very involved in the reopening of the St. Bernard Elementary School and served on the St. Bernard School Foundation Board.
She began each day with quiet prayer (Ernest noted that over the years she would read passages from the Bible and probably had completed it several times in addition to reading the multiple religious books that filled her library). She went to early Mass before bringing Holy Communion and visiting with the patients at Gary Memorial or Lafayette General Hospitals, homebound parishioners, and her sick friends. She devoted many hours to the Prison Ministry. She was a charter member of the Court of St. Paul of Catholic Daughters of the Americas and Joie de Vivre, a Theresian group, and a member of St. Bernard Altar Society. She participated in the Bishop’s Charity Ball and served as past president of the SERRA International Club.
Always interested in her community, Virginia was involved in a wide range of activities. In Breaux Bridge, she served as past president of the Greater Breaux Bridge Area Chamber of Commerce and the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Association, and served as Alderman on the Breaux Bridge City Council. She served as Publicity Chair for special events held in Breaux Bridge: Crawfish Festival, Bayou Parade and 4th of July celebrations.
Virginia chaired the campaign to pay for the statue of Scholastique Picou Breaux, founder of Breaux Bridge. She was a member of the Breaux Bridge Historical Society.
In the Lafayette area she was the first woman to serve on the board of the Southwest Mardi Gras Association. She always noted that she was very fortunate to spend more than 40 years as a member of Les Vingt-Quatre because this experience provided her with great learning opportunities when they restored the Alexandre Mouton House. She served on the USL Foundation Board for 15 years, serving as vice-president for two years. She served on the Acadiana Symphony Board. She was very active in the Lafayette Parish Medical Auxiliary and served on the committee that established “La Maison du Docteur” at the Acadian Village.
She was also very involved with the following organizations: Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, Southwest LA Rehabilitation Center, Project RX, helping needy people afford necessary medications, Acadiana Opera Society, Fine Arts Foundation, Friends of Humanities, Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium, Grief Center, Vita Program and Faith House. She was an organizer and charter member of the Lafayette Historical Society and Regional Attakapas Historical Society. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She was the recipient of The Lafayette Civic Cup in 1997; the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Breaux Bridge Area Chamber of Commerce in 1998; the Franciscan Spirit Award sponsored by Our Lady of Lourdes in 2007; the Tiffany Award in appreciation of her outstanding support in the Community in 2008; the Bishop Service Award for Ministry and Service to the Diocese of Lafayette and St. Bernard Church in 2009; and the Leader in Philanthropy Award for St. Martin Parish sponsored by Community Foundation of Acadiana in 2014.
Virginia enjoyed learning, entertaining, dancing, baking, gardening, reading, needlepointing, playing bridge, genealogy and traveling. She also enjoyed spending time with her extended family and friends. Her inspiration was her mother who had a warm and giving nature and who taught Virginia to give back. That is how she lived her life.
Virginia’s family wishes to thank the “Angels”: Linda Galet, Dianne Williams, Lanette Williams, Linda Dugas, Norma Broussard and Latasha Williams who lovingly cared for her during her time of need as well as Dr. Warren J. Degatur.
Pallbearers will be James Kainer, Paul Kainer, James Yongue Jr., Eric Yongue, Shane Yongue and Rick Yongue.
Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Schoelerman and Mike Hackett.
In lieu of flowers, please make your donations to your favorite charity in memory of Virginia Yongue.
Pellerin Funeral Home of Breaux Bridge, (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements.