Peggy Gerace

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Peggy Moreau Gerace at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5, 2022, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Melville, Louisiana.

Serving as Celebrant of the Mass and conducting the funeral services will be Father Michael DeBlanc. Visitation will be from 10 am to 2 pm in St. John Catholic Church until the time of service. The Rosary will be prayed at Noon lead by Father Stephen C. Ugwil. Rite of Committal will be held in the St. John Catholic Church Cemetery in Melville.

Readers include Dr. Adrienne Gerace Stelly, Emily Gerace Guidry, Halie Gerace Belleau and Rhonda Gerace Bergeron. Offertory gifts servers are Dr. Laura Gerace, Brooke Guidroz, Jennifer Gerace Beale, and Ava and Gianna Hirvonen.

Mrs. Gerace, a resident of Bayou Current, LA, passed away on July 1, 2022 at her residence while holding the hands of her loving family. She was by birth 85 years wise however, according to her confession of age to anyone who knew her, she was not a day older than 39.

Born April 1, 1937 to Walter and Ruby Moreau in Yellow Bayou, LA, Peggy was one of five children. Her family later moved to the metropolis of Simmesport where she would meet a strikingly handsome man named Frank Joseph Gerace. Upon her marriage to Frank on November 3, 1953 at the wise age of 16, they moved to Bayou Current where they would rear five children of their own, in addition to numerous others they thought of as theirs throughout the years.

Peggy was a poised lady of many talents. She was an artist, exhibiting her talent as she learned to paint in her later years in life, creating sceneries one can only wish to visit. She continued expressing this talent up until the time of her death, where unfortunately her last painting will be admired unfinished. Her artistic ability was also visualized in her years as a beautician, where she could create hair colors in shades of blue or pink mesmerizing even the most seasoned in her profession, who even at wise age of 85 possessed an active Cosmetology license. When inquired, why she renewed it in 2022, her answer was “in case, she started cutting hair again,” because after all, she was still only “39.”

She loved the adventure of exploring the world, whether it be traveling across the pond to Europe or the smallest little towns throughout the U.S. that were known to few. Her talent of finding treasures in Estate Sales was second to none. One of her many words of wisdom often shared was that “every gem does not sparkle the same in each person’s eye.” She saw beauty so often in what the world would not view the same, not only in things but in people. She had a way of making you see beauty in a broken coffee cup without your own awareness. She used that talent of seeing beauty in things, becoming a successful saleswoman for both Bordelon’s and Brown’s Furniture after her children were grown until her retirement.

Of all her talents, her greatest was truly her unconditional love to all that far extended her family. Peggy was the matriarch of our Gerace family. She loved her family more than anything and cherished every minute with her grandchildren. She did not miss a Baptism, First Communion or a birthday party for any of her grandbabies. Even in her seventies, those grandbabies could convince her to ride shotgun on a miniature four-wheeler up a levee in her Sunday best. Her wisdom was most evident near a stove while she flipped homemade pancakes that many fought over who walked through her door, or while the 4th pot of coffee was brewing that day in her vintage slow drip coffee maker. Her advice was honorable and faith-filled, sometimes hard to hear but always with her heart, while again making you see the good in even the broken. She fed many of farmers and a many strangers, cooking a full meal daily up until the last few weeks of her life, when God was preparing her way Home. She possessed a Catholic Faith that was exhibited in all she did, whether teaching others how to pray the Rosary, offering rides to Mass for those who could not drive in addition to her personal Beautiful Prayer life with our Lord. I imagine that is why she remained so beautiful until the time on her death, not only in physical beauty but more importantly in the beauty of her heart. She will forever be “39.”

She is survived by her five children, Blake Gerace (Monette) of Opelousas, LA. Randy Gerace of Palmetto, LA, Douglas Gerace (Candy) of Bayou Current, LA. Darrell Gerace (Sheila), of Port Barre, LA her daughter, Joy Hirvonen (Mikael) of Houston, TX.

She is survived by 19 grandchildren, Rhonda Gerace Bergeron (Aaron), Adam Gerace (Samantha), Nicholas Gerace (Courtney), Jennifer Gerace Beale, Halie Gerace Belleau (Kyle), Brooke Gerace Guidroz (Jason), Hunter Gerace, Paige Delatte Bajoie (Earl), Ryan Delatte, Gaylen Delatte, Christopher Gerace (Kelley), Dr. Adrienne Gerace Stelly (Nick), Dr. Laura Gerace, Jonathan Gerace (Shantel), Aaron Gerace (Delaina), Emily Gerace Guidry (Jerry), Ava Hirvonen, Gianna Hirvonen, and Jude Hirvonen. Peggy leaves behind a Christian legacy of 44 Great Grandchildren and 4 Great-Great Grand Children.

She is also survived by her sister, Opal Broussard (Harvey) of New Iberia, LA and her brother Ted Moreau (Wanda) of Simmesport, LA. In addition, she is survived by Carol Morrow Savage of Bayou Current, who was an accomplice in many of her brave adventures across the world but who loved her like a mother, helping care for her until the very end.

She was preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Frank Joseph Gerace, her parents, Walter and Ruby Descant Moreau, her brothers Kenneth and Rodney Moreau and her daughter-in-law, Robbie Bertrand Gerace.

Peggy’s seven grandsons, Aaron, Adam, Christopher, Hunter, Jonathan, Nicholas, and Jude will serve as Pallbearers. Honorary Pallbearers are Darrell, Douglas, Randy, and Blake Gerace.

The family would like to thank those devoted to her medical care, Rhonda Bergeron, Donnie Tornblom with Louisiana Hospice and Palliative Care and Lazelle Roy.

LaFondArdoin Funeral Home of Melville, 607 First Street, Melville, LA 71353, (337) 942-2638 has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.