Willa Dean Chesson

Funeral services be will held at 1:00PM on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at St. Pius X Church for Willa Dean Comeaux Chesson, 93, who died peacefully on April 28, 2018. Deanie, as she was known by family and friends, was born on April 2, 1925 in Lafayette, LA to Fernand Comeaux and the former Bertha Verot Comeaux. She attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she studied voice and piano. She also studied at Sorbonne-Paris University. Throughout her life, Deanie was a voracious reader and had a deep passion for history, music, local culture, and the arts. Her love of history also led Deanie to enjoy a career later in her life as a Certified Antique Appraiser. In her free time, she volunteered for numerous local organizations, including the Lafayette Museum Association, which she was a member of since 1994 and served as President from 1997-1999, and was a founding member and past President of ULL’s Friends of the Humanities. She also was a founding member (and current Honorary Member Emeritus) and past President of Les Deux Douzaines, and served as Liaison between this organization and the Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium. Deanie also enjoyed serving as a founding member of Les Vingt-Quatre of the Alexandre Mouton House (also known as the Lafayette Museum) and was the current Historian and Chairman of the Archives Committee at the time of her death. She was a member of the Galvez Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and served as Chairman of the DAR Museum Committee from 1994-2010. Deanie was also a member of the Lafayette Parish Medical Alliance and the Junior League of Lafayette. Deanie was beloved by her family and friends for her bold personality, her intelligence, and strength of spirit. She is survived by her daughter Carolyn Chesson Brupbacher, her son's wife Cathy Chesson, and her older brother Russell Comeaux. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Matthew Chesson and his wife, Jessica, Allison Chesson, Kristen Chesson, Elizabeth Bernard, Patrick Brupbacher, Phillip Brupbacher and his wife Lacy, and Emily Brupbacher. Deanie felt blessed that she lived long enough to enjoy 12 great-grandchildren as well- Mason Chesson, Hayes Chesson, James Kidd, Barton Bernard, Roman Bernard, Alexandra Bernard, William Brupbacher, Annie Brupbacher, Miriam Brupbacher, Nora Brupbacher, Lily Brupbacher, and Andrew Brupbacher. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews. Deanie was preceded in death by her father, Fernand Comeaux and her mother, Bertha Comeaux, her husband, Dr. Douglas M. Chesson, her son, Douglas M. Chesson, Jr. and her brother, James Carol Comeaux. Pallbearers will be Patrick Brupbacher, Phillip Brupbacher, Matthew Chesson, Barton Bernard, Roman Bernard, Stephan Comeaux, James Comeaux, and Tom Lyles. Honorary pallbearers will be Russell Comeaux, Mackie Verot, Richard Paul Broussard, Dr. Harold Chastant, and Dr. Walter Comeaux. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Deanie’s honor be made to the American Heart Association. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 from 9:00AM until 12:30PM at Delhomme Funeral Home – Bertrand. Personal condolences may be sent to the Chesson family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. Delhomme Funeral Home, 1011 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Willa Dean Chesson

April 2, 1925 - April 28, 2018