Gloria Theresa Guilbeau Verret

Gloria Theresa Guilbeau Verret, 88, died on October 17, 2020 at Harbor Hospice of Lake Charles in the presence of her loved ones. She will be greatly missed.

Gloria was born in Sunset, LA to Octave and Theresa Guilbeau on December 26, 1931. She graduated from SLI (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in 1953 with a BA in Education. She taught first and third grades in Lake Arthur, LA from 1953-1955. In Lake Arthur she met Eugene A. Verret through a cousin of his and they married on April 2, 1955. Besides being a devoted wife, she was a loving mother to Mark Blaine Verret (Sheryl Elias) of New Iberia, LA; Denise Anne Verret (Gene Paquette) and Suzanne Verret, both of Chicago, IL.

Gloria was a woman of many talents, particularly artistic. She played basketball and tennis and was a cheerleader and dancer in her youth. She was a professional seamstress and quilt maker and crocheted anything from blankets and hats to bird nests for orphaned baby birds that she donated to a bird rescue organization in Chicago. She was a member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Lake Charles and, along with her husband, was a founding member of OLQH School and Church. Gloria became an Extra Ordinary Minister and volunteered with an outreach ministry to the terminally ill. After her children were grown, she taught special education at Regina Caeli Special Education Center in Lake Charles. She taught art classes with her long-time friend, Gloria Hebert, at Villa Maria and visited the elderly at Brookdale Nursing Home in Lake Charles, both up until this past year. Gloria loved to do yard work, was an avid reader, a fan of jigsaw and crossword puzzles and an aficionado of Mah Jongg, Scrabble, and Rummikub.

Gloria was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Eugene; her parents; brother, Earl Guilbeau; nephews, David Stelly, Brian Guilbeau; godchild, Jason Guilbeau and brother-in-law, Numa Stelly. She is survived by her brothers, James Guilbeau (Sandy) of Sealy, TX, and Gerald Guilbeau (Ginnie) of Lafayette, LA; her sister, Charlotte Stelly and godchild, Tammy Stelly of Sunset, LA. She also leaves many dear friends she cherished.

Special thanks to caregiver Carol Williams and her daughters and to the nurses and staff at Harbor Hospice of Lake Charles.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Harbor Hospice of Lake Charles, 5210 Lake Street, Lake Charles, LA 70605 or a charity of your choice.

All attendees must always wear a mask covering nose and mouth. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 3:00 PM Thursday October 22, 2020 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.  Monsignor Harry Greig will officiate.  Interment will follow in Consolata Cemetery.  Visitation Thursday will be from 12:30 PM until the time of service in the church with a rosary service beginning at 12:30 PM.