Rosemary Ernest

New Iberia – Graveside Services will be conducted for Rosemary Villarrubia Ernest, 95, on Monday, February 8, 2021 at 1:00 PM in Rosehill Cemetery with Elder Pastor Norma Jean Luckey officiating. Family and friends unable to attend can watch the live stream of the service by clicking the link: https://whttps://www.facebook.com/groups/749796042577730/

A native of New Orleans, a resident of New Iberia, Mrs. Ernest passed away on Sunday, January 24, 2021, at Cedar Crest Memory Care in Lafayette.

She started her journey in 1925 in New Orleans and in 1930 she moved to Lacombe and grew up on the shores of Lake Ponchartrain. She attended a two-room elementary school that is now a museum. After graduating from Slidell High School, she obtained a B. S. Degree in Home Economics in 1947 from LSU and graduated in the Greek Theatre. Later in life she obtained a master’s degree in education from then USL. She married the love of her life George Davis Ernest, Jr. in 1948. They then moved to New Iberia where she lived the remainder of her life on the banks of Bayou Teche. She taught several generations of children home economics at New Iberia Senior High for about 40 years. Her children still run into people who their mother taught. She built a nationally recognized home economics program at New Iberia Senior High. After retiring in 1985, she taught at New Iberia’s Mount Carmel Academy until it closed.  She was a devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church, where she served in many leadership positions and taught Sunday and Bible School.

She was also active in her community and participated and held leadership positions in organizations such as the Louisiana Home Economics Associations, Future Homemakers of America, Kappa Kappa Iota, the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival, Cancer Society, Friends of the Library and Shadows on the Teche. She was inducted into the Second Wind Hall of Fame and was Queen of the New Iberia Christmas Parade. She was an avid LSU sports fan and was in Kentucky’s Commonwealth Stadium for the “Blue Grass Miracle” in 2002.

She is survived by her daughter, Kathryn “Kathy” E. Burge and her husband Harold W. “Hal” of Youngsville; her son, George “Dave” D. Ernest III and his wife Donna of Lafayette; her grandchildren, Michael Ernest Burge and his wife Melanie, Randall Becket “Randy” Burge and his wife Stephanie, Alaina Michelle Ernest and Olivia Rose Ernest; her great grandchildren, Kaitlyn Burge, Natalie Burge, Garrett Burge, Beckett Burge, Isabelle Burge and Colton Albert Jones and her sister, Delores Dufour and her husband E. Generes “Doots” of Austin, TX.

She was preceded in death by her husband George D. Ernest, Jr.; her parents, Edgar Villarrubia and Viola Flick Villarrubia; her sisters, Gloria Villarrubia and Irma Henderson and her brothers, Edgar Villarrubia and Leo Charles Villarrbuia.

Pallbearers will be Michael Burge, Randy Burge, Alaina Ernest, Olivia Ernest, William Lahasky and Dr. Robert Lahasky.

In lieu of flowers the family request memorials to the charity of your choice.

The family would like to thank the staff of Cedar Crest Memory Care and Bridgeway Healthcare and Hospice for their loving care and kindness.

In order to help keep the community safe we will honor the July 13, 2020 Louisiana Mandates.  All families and their guests are required to wear a face covering while at the cemetery. Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time.

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

David Funeral Home of New Iberia, 1101 Trotter St. (337) 369-6336 is in charge of arrangements.