Beatrice Eldridge

Jeanerette--“Mama, Maw-Maw, Mrs. Bea” passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family, on November 18, 2018, at the age of 103.  She was born August 15, 1915, to Dozelia and Marguerite Simoneaud.  She was a native of Jeanerette and a 1931 graduate and co-valedictorian of Jeanerette High School.  Prior to marrying Percy Eldridge on February 3, 1937, she worked as a bookkeeper at D. A. Simoneaud’s General Merchandise, her father’s store.

As a life-long resident of Jeanerette, she was the bookkeeper in the family’s business, Eldridge’s Grocery, and the homemaker for the large Eldridge family. She was an active member of the Jeanerette Book and Hobby Club and the Catholic Daughters of America.

She enjoyed being at the family camp at Cypremort Point, cooking (and what a great cook she was!), playing booray with friends, watching the New Orleans’ Saints on TV, and most of all watching her children and grandchildren participate in sporting events.

Mrs. Eldridge is survived by eight children, Gerard Eldridge and his wife Ruth of Jeanerette, Dickie and JoAnn Eldridge, Linda Eldridge Viator of Ruston, Michael and Claudette Eldridge, Glenn Eldridge and his wife Flavia of Jeanerette, Danny Eldridge and his wife Judy of Coteau, Percy Eldridge of Jeanerette, and Mary Eldridge and Cathy Goss of Scott.  Her grandchildren are John Eldridge and his wife Ginger, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Laurie Eldridge Auffant, of Prattville, Alabama, Nina Eldridge Lloyd and her husband Brad, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, Jerry, Dwayne, and Erin Eldridge, of Jeanerette; Keith Viator, New Iberia, Michelle Viator Moudy and her husband Tate, Jackson, Mississippi, Todd Viator and his wife Traci, Magnolia, Texas, Kerry Viator and his wife Stephanie, Ruston; Brook Eldridge and his wife Candace, Baton Rouge, Josh Eldridge and his wife Heather, Lafayette, Reed Eldridge and his wife Ellen, of Zachary; Ellen Eldridge DeValcourt and her husband Todd, Lafayette, Gregg Eldridge and his wife, Julie, Mandeville, Scott Eldridge and his wife Kelly, Lafayette, Elizabeth Eldridge Schwab and her husband Dustin, Baton Rouge, Joseph Eldridge and his wife, Kristin, Baton Rouge; Brad Eldridge and his wife Jillian, Lafayette, Janie Eldridge Franke and her husband James, Lafayette; Jill Eldridge, Baton Rouge, Maggie Eldridge Been and her husband Darrell, Houston, Ben Eldridge and his wife Brittany, Lafayette,  Jennifer Eldridge and Joe Tindell, and Katie Eldridge Faucheaux and her husband Sean, of New Iberia.  She is also survived by 35 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Percy Eldridge, son Jimmie Eldridge, infant son Percy Pierre Eldridge, grandchild Victoria Eldridge, son-in-law Stanley Viator, her father Dozelia A. Simoneaud, her mother Marguerite “Maggie” Landry Simoneaud, her brother V. P. (Volzie) Simoneaud, her sister Bernice Guillotte, her grandparents Clarville and Elmira Barras Landry and Peter V. Simoneaud and Ofida M. Landry, her  mother-in-law Amelina “Mama Eldridge” Crochet and father-in-law Alphonse Eldridge.

Visitation will begin on Monday, November 19, 2018 at 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM at David Funeral Home in Jeanerette. There will be a recitation of the rosary at 6:00 PM. Visitation will resume on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at 8:00 AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 AM at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Jeanerette.  Rev. Ed Degeyter will be officiating the services.  Burial will follow at St. John the Evangelist Cemetery.

Grandsons, John Eldridge, Keith Viator, Brook Eldridge, Gregg Eldridge, Brad Eldridge, and Ben Eldridge will be pallbearers.  Honorary pallbearers will be Claude Simoneaud, Roy Simoneaud, Wayne Simoneaud, David Guillotte, Eldridge Navarro. and Johnny LeBlanc.  Ruth Eldridge, daughter-in-law. will serve as Eucharistic Minister.  Reed Eldridge, grandson, and granddaughters Janie Franke and Ellen DeValcourt will serve as lectors.  Granddaughters Jill Eldridge, Erin Eldridge, Michelle Moudy, and Laurie Auffant will be gift bearers.

The family would like to thank Lamonica Darnell, Mrs. Rita Broussard, Dr. Barrow Bourgeois, Mary Bourgeois, their office staff and Hospice of Acadiana for their care and compassion.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Acadiana, 2600 Johnston Street, Lafayette, La. 70503

You can sign the guest register book and / or send condolences at www.davidfuneralhome.org

David Funeral Home of Jeanerette, 400 Provost St. (337) 276-5151 is in charge of arrangements.