Mary Bernard Obituary
Obituary published on Legacy.com by Kinchen Funeral Home, Inc. - Lafayette on Mar. 3, 2026.
Mary Helen Bernard
January 7, 1944 – February 20, 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026
10:00 am
Spirit of Liberty Christian Fellowship
2841 Louisiana Ave.
Lafayette, LA 70501
Mary Helen William Bernard 82 was born on January 7, 1944, to Rena and Thelma William in Lafayette, LA. She went home to Heaven on February 20, 2026, after living a long and beautiful life with her family and close friends. She received Christ in 1982 and became a member of Spirit of Liberty Christian Fellowship. She was a member and an usher there for many many years and stayed active in the ministry for as long as her body allowed.
Mary attended Paul Breaux High School. She was a very hard worker doing everything from housekeeping to helping her husband run a successful appliance business. She worked as a cafeteria worker for the Lafayette Parish School Board for over 25 years retiring from Northside High School. She worked hard for everything she had to provide a good life for her children and be a wonderful help mate to her husband. Her work ethic was one to emulate and to admire.
She and her husband were avid fishermen and enjoyed the sport anytime they could. She loved being on the water. She loved spending time with the people she loved especially her children and grandchildren. She never missed an opportunity for a family outing. She was an excellent mother and cared for her children with her whole heart. She even had enough love to give to children that were not biologically hers helping to raise and rear some of her grandchildren and nieces and nephews. She was the epitome of what it was to be a lady and made sure she taught her daughters and granddaughters how to do so as well. She was always outspoken and said what was on her mind. She was "spunky" till the very end keeping everyone on their toes but always operating out of a place of love and with wisdom.
She was a strong and devoted wife and doted on her husband Joseph Bernard until the day he left this earth and beyond. Their love story was one for the record books. Even after over 40 years of marriage. You could still catch them holding hands and stealing kisses from one another. They loved God fervently and preached the gospel everywhere they went. It was the norm to see them praying for someone in your local grocery store or at Walmart where they frequently shopped. Their love for each other was everlasting and without condition and their love for Christ was truly admirable and inspiring.
She was the loving mother of five children: Charlie Morris, Inger Francis (husband Richard Francis), Derrick Morris, Lavonna Morris and Josetta Bernard. She was a loving adoptive mother to her niece Miranda William whom she took in after the loss of her sister Sonya William and raised as her own. She was a loving grandmother to her 11 grandchildren: Joshua Morris, Kelly Morris, Kaleb Morris, Penny Hack (husband Reginald Hack), Desmond Morris (Wife Cierra Morris), Deneris Morris, Taylor Morris, Earnest Jackson Jr., Kennady Batiste and Kaydence Batiste. She also dearly loved her 9 great grandchildren Armani Yanique Morris, Jabori Celestine, Gerard Celestine, Cassidy Celestine, Desmond Morris Jr., Genesis Morris, Brooklyn Morris, Dereon Morris and Dredyn Morris. Also, her two great- great granddaughter Elizabeth McDonald and Kyrie Celestine.
Mary leaves to cherish a host of family. Her siblings Dorris William, Ana Christopher, Theresa Chaisson and husband Forest Chaisson, Patrick William and wife Sandra William, Stanley William, Hector William and wife Sarah William and Alice Broussard.
Mary was proceeded in death by her husband Joseph Bernard, her grandson Melvin Colomb Jr., her grandson Kaden Morris, her father Rena William, her mother Thelma William, her sister Sonya William, her brother Laurence Zeno, her brother Rena William Jr., her best friend Marie Broussard and many other aunts, uncles and friends.
She also leaves behind a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends whom she loved very much. She was a mother to the motherless and a friend to the friendless. She was unashamed of the gospel of Christ and would share the love of God with anyone everywhere she went. She will forever be missed and can never be replaced. May we all have peace in our hearts knowing that she lived a long and wonderful life filled with love. When she enters the gates of heaven to meet her Father God, He will receive her with open arms and tell her "Well done my good and faithful servant, welcome to the kingdom of Heaven. You can now rest and be at peace." To be absent with the body is to be present with the Lord. Mary's wish for all of us as she left this place and went home to glory is that we all have a closer walk and relationship with God. Let us all honor her in that regard.
Kinchen Funeral Home Inc., 1011 North Saint Antoine Street, Lafayette, LA 70501, is in charge of arrangements. Additionally, condolences to the family may be expressed on our website at www.kinchenfuneralhome.com
To send a flower arrangement in memory of Mary Helen Bernard, please click here to visit our sympathy store.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Mary Helen Bernard, please click here to visit our sympathy store.
January 7, 1944 – February 20, 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026
10:00 am
Spirit of Liberty Christian Fellowship
2841 Louisiana Ave.
Lafayette, LA 70501
Mary Helen William Bernard 82 was born on January 7, 1944, to Rena and Thelma William in Lafayette, LA. She went home to Heaven on February 20, 2026, after living a long and beautiful life with her family and close friends. She received Christ in 1982 and became a member of Spirit of Liberty Christian Fellowship. She was a member and an usher there for many many years and stayed active in the ministry for as long as her body allowed.
Mary attended Paul Breaux High School. She was a very hard worker doing everything from housekeeping to helping her husband run a successful appliance business. She worked as a cafeteria worker for the Lafayette Parish School Board for over 25 years retiring from Northside High School. She worked hard for everything she had to provide a good life for her children and be a wonderful help mate to her husband. Her work ethic was one to emulate and to admire.
She and her husband were avid fishermen and enjoyed the sport anytime they could. She loved being on the water. She loved spending time with the people she loved especially her children and grandchildren. She never missed an opportunity for a family outing. She was an excellent mother and cared for her children with her whole heart. She even had enough love to give to children that were not biologically hers helping to raise and rear some of her grandchildren and nieces and nephews. She was the epitome of what it was to be a lady and made sure she taught her daughters and granddaughters how to do so as well. She was always outspoken and said what was on her mind. She was "spunky" till the very end keeping everyone on their toes but always operating out of a place of love and with wisdom.
She was a strong and devoted wife and doted on her husband Joseph Bernard until the day he left this earth and beyond. Their love story was one for the record books. Even after over 40 years of marriage. You could still catch them holding hands and stealing kisses from one another. They loved God fervently and preached the gospel everywhere they went. It was the norm to see them praying for someone in your local grocery store or at Walmart where they frequently shopped. Their love for each other was everlasting and without condition and their love for Christ was truly admirable and inspiring.
She was the loving mother of five children: Charlie Morris, Inger Francis (husband Richard Francis), Derrick Morris, Lavonna Morris and Josetta Bernard. She was a loving adoptive mother to her niece Miranda William whom she took in after the loss of her sister Sonya William and raised as her own. She was a loving grandmother to her 11 grandchildren: Joshua Morris, Kelly Morris, Kaleb Morris, Penny Hack (husband Reginald Hack), Desmond Morris (Wife Cierra Morris), Deneris Morris, Taylor Morris, Earnest Jackson Jr., Kennady Batiste and Kaydence Batiste. She also dearly loved her 9 great grandchildren Armani Yanique Morris, Jabori Celestine, Gerard Celestine, Cassidy Celestine, Desmond Morris Jr., Genesis Morris, Brooklyn Morris, Dereon Morris and Dredyn Morris. Also, her two great- great granddaughter Elizabeth McDonald and Kyrie Celestine.
Mary leaves to cherish a host of family. Her siblings Dorris William, Ana Christopher, Theresa Chaisson and husband Forest Chaisson, Patrick William and wife Sandra William, Stanley William, Hector William and wife Sarah William and Alice Broussard.
Mary was proceeded in death by her husband Joseph Bernard, her grandson Melvin Colomb Jr., her grandson Kaden Morris, her father Rena William, her mother Thelma William, her sister Sonya William, her brother Laurence Zeno, her brother Rena William Jr., her best friend Marie Broussard and many other aunts, uncles and friends.
She also leaves behind a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends whom she loved very much. She was a mother to the motherless and a friend to the friendless. She was unashamed of the gospel of Christ and would share the love of God with anyone everywhere she went. She will forever be missed and can never be replaced. May we all have peace in our hearts knowing that she lived a long and wonderful life filled with love. When she enters the gates of heaven to meet her Father God, He will receive her with open arms and tell her "Well done my good and faithful servant, welcome to the kingdom of Heaven. You can now rest and be at peace." To be absent with the body is to be present with the Lord. Mary's wish for all of us as she left this place and went home to glory is that we all have a closer walk and relationship with God. Let us all honor her in that regard.
Kinchen Funeral Home Inc., 1011 North Saint Antoine Street, Lafayette, LA 70501, is in charge of arrangements. Additionally, condolences to the family may be expressed on our website at www.kinchenfuneralhome.com
To send a flower arrangement in memory of Mary Helen Bernard, please click here to visit our sympathy store.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Mary Helen Bernard, please click here to visit our sympathy store.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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Kinchen Funeral Home, Inc. - Lafayette
1011 N St Antoine St, Lafayette, LA 70501
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