Frances Nora Dronet Barras

Erath - A Mass of Christian Burial will be at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for Frances Nora Dronet Barras  on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 10:00AM with Fr. Andre Metrejean officiating.  Interment will follow in Our Lady of Lourdes Mausoleum.

Visitation will be in David Funeral Home of Erath, on Monday, July 19, 2021 from 5:00PM to 8:30PM, with a recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:00PM.  Visitation will resume on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8:00AM until the time of service.

Frances Nora Dronet Barras, age 81, of Erath, passed away peacefully with family members at her bedside, after a battle with End-stage Renal Disease on July 16 , 2021, Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  She was a third order Carmelite and a member of the Catholic Daughters.  She was the daughter of Daley (Fiya) and Lilly Dronet. Frances was born on April 28, 1940 and baptized into the Holy Catholic Church on May 6, 1940.

Frances grew up in Erath and graduated from Erath High School in 1958. She enjoyed being a majorette in high school and dancing in her younger years, even winning some dance contests with her brother, Gene. She was voted by her classmates as the most likely to be the first woman president. She was very involved in politics at the local level being an election judge in Vermilion parish for many years as well as an ombudsman and public advocate. In addition, Frances supported pro-life candidates for government office. Upon graduating Frances worked at Southern Bell Telephone Company in Lafayette for a few years. She enjoyed being a telephone operator in later years also and worked as a marine telephone operator in Delcambre and as a secretary and receptionist for Doyle’s Air Conditioning Service.

On the Feast of St. Agnes, January 21, 1961, Frances was united in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony to Sheldon Jude Barras at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Erath. They both loved their Catholic faith and renewed their wedding vows at 50 years with Father Joseph Stemmans, who they had once gone with on a week-long religious pilgrimage. They remained faithfully married for 57 years by God’s grace until his death.

Frances was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoyed cooking all the Cajun meals and made the best shrimp-okra gumbo and pork jambalaya ever, usually served with her famous signature Cajun mashed potato salad. She also made fantastic lemon and chocolate pudding pies and yummy pecan sand tart cookies.

During her battle with ESRD, Frances received the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and was also given the Apostolic Blessing. She and her family are immensely grateful to all the priests who came to her aid, as well as all the nursing staff at Eastridge Nursing Center and Bridgeway Healthcare and Hospice.

She is survived by her brothers Gene (Cynthia) Dronet, Travis (Sybil) Dronet; her daughter, Tanja (Jim) Hegland and son, Kenzel Barras; her grandchildren: Anna (Colin) Maxon, Peter (Molly O’Toole) Hegland, Laura (Diego) Heier, Sarah Hegland, Andrew Hegland, Joseph Hegland, Brennan Barras, Tori Barras, Devin Barras, and her great-grandchildren: Leo, Kara, and Keegan Maxon and Logan and Colette Heier.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Daley Anthony and Lilly Marie (Landry) Dronet; her husband, Sheldon Jude Barras, her grandson, Benjamin James Hegland, her father-in-law, Harry Barras, and her mother-in-law, Lorena Marie (Bee) Broussard Barras; her brother-in-law, Nelson (Rock) Barras; and her nephews Brandon and John Dronet.

David Funeral Home of Erath, 209 East Putnam Street, (337) 937-0405  is in charge of arrangements.