Vergie Lopez Gathe

Coteau – Funeral Services will be held at 12:00 pm on Saturday, December 2, 2023, at Pellerin Funeral Home in New Iberia, for Vergie L. Gathe, 65, who passed on Saturday, November 25, 2023, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

Interment will follow at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church Cemetery in Coteau.

Rev. Keith Landry will officiate.

A gathering of family and friends will be at Pellerin Funeral Home from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm on Saturday.

Vergie Lopez Gathe, a dedicated Human Resources Manager who served at Louisiana Tech College (now SLCC) for an impressive 30 years, was born in Morgan City, Louisiana, on August 15, 1958. Vergie touched the lives of countless individuals through her selfless nature and unwavering commitment to bringing people together.

Vergie was more than just a successful career woman; she was the anchor that held her family close. A matriarch filled with immeasurable love and resilience, Vergie cherished her loved ones above all else. She possessed an incredible talent for organizing family events and vacations, ensuring that their bond remained tight-knit and enduring.

A woman with an unyielding desire for exploration and adventure, Vergie had an insatiable love for travel. With wanderlust in her spirit, she embarked on journeys across 49 states on not just one or two occasions, but a remarkable three times. The only state she didn't have the chance to witness was Hawaii, but her memories were adorned with tales from every other corner of the United States.

In addition to her passion for travel, Vergie found solace and delight in cultivating her vegetable garden – a labor of love that brought colorful bursts of life into her home. She avidly honed her skills alongside her daughter Kellie as they embarked on couponing escapades together – a dynamic duo that embraced their shared hobby as roadies searching for hidden gems. Vergie had an eye for a bargain and derived immense joy from thrift shopping, discovering hidden treasures lurking on the shelves. Always open to new experiences, she found endless delight in perusing the offerings on QVC – even going so far as to order her Thanksgiving ham from the comfort of her own home.

But perhaps Vergie's most exceptional talent lay within the realm of culinary delights. A true culinary artist in the kitchen, she possessed an uncanny ability to conjure up a delectable meal from the humblest of ingredients. Her resourcefulness was unmatched, with a weekly menu to inspire and tantalize her family's taste buds. A testament to her culinary prowess, a plaque proudly adorned her kitchen wall, declaring "Mom's Diner - Open 24 Hours."

Mrs. Gathe is survived by her loving husband of 41 years, Wallace Gathe, Sr.; daughter, Kellie Landry (Lincoln); sons, Wallace Gathe, Jr. and Jason Gathe (Patricia); grandchildren, Hunter, Kaleb, Alivia and Catherine Gathe, and King and Hellena Spell; siblings, Anthony and Ira Lopez, Veronica Ann Matthews, Judy Walker, and Maria King (Stanley).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Warren Joseph Lopez and Hazel Hebert Lopez; infant daughter, Jennifer Gathe; and a brother, Wiley Lopez.

Pallbearers will be Kaleb Gathe, Jason Gathe, Wallace Gathe, Jr., Hunter Gathe, Glen Adams, and Randy LeBlanc.

Honorary pallbearers are Lincoln Landry, Anthony Lopez, Wallace Gathe, Sr., and Ira Lopez, Sr.

Vergie’s legacy will forever be engraved upon the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know her.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560 (337-365-3331).