Joyce Gerard, 85 years of age and Louis Gerard, 88 years of age, passed away in Frisco Texas on Saturday February 24, 2024, within hours of each other after 61 years of marriage. They were a devoted couple, loving parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle, cousin, and friends to many in Louisiana and Texas. They will be missed more than words can express.
Louis and Joyce met while taking a genetics class at Sam Houston University and married on November 22, 1962. They had two children, Camille Gerard of Denver, Colorado and Mark Louis Gerard of Frisco, Texas. They had one grandchild, Ryan Louis Gerard, son of Mark and Kelli Gerard.
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Joyce Erdelt Gerard
Joyce Erdelt Gerard, age 85, of McKinney Texas was born on March 9, 1938, to Mary Dettling Erdelt and Henry Erdelt in the farming area of Plainview, Texas in Wharton County. Joyce graduated from Wharton High School in 1956. She worked at Outlar & Blair Clinic after high school and in 1961, she received her certification as a Medical Technologist from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston.
Joyce received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969 and a Masters of Education in 1982, from the Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette). She taught public school for 25 years in Lafayette Parish of Louisiana, four years teaching first grade at Myrtle Place Elementary in Lafayette, and 21 years teaching second and third grades at Green T. Linden Elementary in Youngsville. Due to her determination and focus on academic goals, her classroom students were known to finish the school year above their grade level.
After retiring from the Lafayette Parish School system in 1995, she taught pre-school, volunteered at Hospice, and served as a Docent in Lafayette’s Planetarium. Joyce was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic church in Broussard, Louisiana where she served as a Eucharistic Minister and taught religion classes.
Joyce and Louis Gerard moved to Wharton Texas in 2002, where they were members of Holy Family Church and the Fellowship Committee. Joyce volunteered at Sivells Elementary, served as a Mentor for Impact Program and as a member of the Gabriel Project. She was an active member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas for 21 years.
Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, Henry Erdelt and Mary Dettling Erdelt, her brother Norbert and wife Jo Ann Erdelt, and brother Donald Erdelt. She is survived by her brother Charles Erdelt and sister-in-law Mary Ann Erdelt of Wharton Texas, sister-in-law Mary Agnes Erdelt of Wharton, Texas, daughter Camille Gerard of Denver, Colorado, son Mark Louis Gerard, daughter-in-law Kelli and grandson Ryan of Frisco, Texas, and several nephews and a niece.
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Louis Isaac Gerard
Louis Isaac Gerard, age 88, of McKinney Texas died on February 24, 2024. He was from Lafayette, Parish, Youngsville, LA. He was born on May 18, 1935, to Treville Gerard and Cecile Vallot Gerard. Louis often shared humorous stories of growing up tending to the family farm with his parents and siblings, Lucy, Rosie, and Tom and spoke with special fondness of his Cajun French heritage. He attended Youngsville High School where he enjoyed playing high school basketball and graduated in 1954.
Louis attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and obtained a teachers’ certification in 1958. He began a teacher’s career in Education by teaching Junior High School in Scott, Louisiana. He also enlisted in the Louisiana National Guard as a Junior in High School. In 1960, his unit was activated, and he served for one year at Fort Sill, Oklahoma as a result of the Berlin Crisis. In 1961, he received a master’s degree in Education from Sam Houston State Teacher’s College in Huntsville, Texas.
From 1961 to 1969, Louis taught junior high school biology in Scott, Louisiana and started his guidance counseling career at Judice High School. Louis joined his Judice and Scott High School colleagues at the newly opened Acadiana High School in 1969. In his 30-year tenure at Acadiana High School as a Guidance Counselor, many students succeeded because Mr. Gerard worked individually with them to achieve their goal of a high school graduation. His career long colleagues state that he was truly instrumental as a Guidance Counselor at Acadiana High School, thoughtfully and personally addressing his students' academic and emotional needs and focusing on students’ vocational plans.
He retired from Education in 2000. He served as a Principal of Longview Preparatory School in Lafayette for two years. He also served as a career counselor in the high schools and middle schools for many years. He was a member and served in leadership positions in the Lafayette Parish Classroom Teachers Association, Louisiana Teachers Association, Lafayette Parish Counselors Association, and the Phi Delta Kappa Association.
Among his contributions to his Parish church in Broussard Louisiana were teaching religious education, being a Lector, and serving as a Eucharistic Minister for many years. In 2002 he moved to Wharton Texas where he served as a member of the Knights of Columbus for 21 years.
Louis is preceded in death by his parents, Cecile Marie Vallot Gerard and Treville Gerard, and by his brother, Tom Gerard, of Lafayette, Louisiana. He is survived by his daughter, Camille Gerard, and his son, Mark Louis Gerard and daughter-in-law, Kelli Gerard of Frisco, Texas. He is also survived by a grandson, Ryan Louis Gerard of Frisco Texas, sisters, Rosie Langlinais of Lafayette, Louisiana, and Lucy Canter of Sun City, Texas, as well as a sister-in-law and several nieces.
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Memorial Services
The family will hold joint memorial services in Texas and Louisiana. The first service will be in Wharton, Texas on Monday June 3rd, 2024, at Holy Family Catholic Church. A Rosary will be held at 9:30 AM, a Catholic Mass at 10:00 AM with a reception at the Life Center to follow.
On Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, in Broussard, Louisiana, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Louis and Joyce at Sacred Heart Catholic Church which will include a visitation in the church from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, a Rosary at 12:00 Noon and a funeral Mass at 1:00 PM. The interment Rite of Committal will follow the 1:00 PM Mass with a reception in the Parish Life Center adjacent to the Church from 2:00 pm to 4:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, please consider giving a donation in their name to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Broussard, Louisiana, or the Eternal Work Television Network (EWTN).
Sacred Heart Church in Broussard, Louisiana see website or Venmo @shbroussard
https://raisedonors.com/ewtn/love-and-understanding-of-god
Posted online on May 20, 2024
Published in The Daily Advertiser
