Barbara B. Mergist

Published 2:00 pm Friday, May 27, 2011

Memorial services for Barbara B. Mergist, 64, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 27, 2011, at St. Edmond Catholic Church in Lafayette. She passed away at home on Tuesday, May 24 after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Fr. Gil Dutel and Fr. Gary Schexnayder will officiate the ceremony

Barbara was born in Opelousas on January 28, 1947, to Henry “Earl” and Marie “Teezie” Bertrand Babineaux. While growing up in New Iberia, she attended Mt. Carmel High School until her graduation in 1965. She graduated from University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1971.

For the majority of her working years, Barbara was an educator, teaching in Iberia and Lafayette Parish Schools. During her extensive career, she touched the lives of hundreds of students. She also was a small business owner, running the Party Place in Lafayette for many years. She was an active member of the Junior League of Lafayette and of her parishes, Holy Cross Catholic Church and St. Edmond’s Catholic Church. While she was battling cancer, she became an active client at the Miles Perret Center, serving as a friend and inspiration to staff and fellow clients alike.

Barbara is survived by her devoted husband of 24 years, Anthony “Tony” Mergist. She is also survived by her two children Natalie Cross Mesko and her husband, Robert, and their daughter Vivienne of Denver, Colorado; her son Casey Cross and his wife, Dr. Stacey Hoffman Cross; and their son Tristan of Leesburg, Virginia; and stepson Chad Mergist and his sons Dylan and Tanner of Lafayette. She is also survived by her sister Beryl Duck and husband, Charles; Beverly Simoneaux and husband, James; her stepmother, Jessamine Musson Babineaux; and stepsister Diane Musson.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Miles Perret Cancer Center, 2130 Kaliste Saloom Road No. 200, Lafayette, LA 70508-6143 and Fr. Glenn Meaux’s Haiti Mission, PO Box 1400, Abbeville, LA 70511. Visitation will be held on Friday from 1 until 2 p.m. at St. Edmond Catholic Church in Lafayette.