Bertrand Rabalais

Bertrand Anthony Rabalais (November 27, 1931 - October 28, 2024) died peacefully on Monday morning. He is now finally back in the arms of his loving bride Shirley who preceded him in death and whom he missed dearly. Bert was a native of Avoyelles Parish and grew up in Hamburg, LA.

He was a US Navy veteran of the Korean War era who returned to Louisiana after serving honorably and graduated from LSU with a degree in geology. He met his future wife at the Grand Cailliou school where they were both teachers. They married in 1959 at the St. Francis Cathedral in Houma and went on to raise five rambunctious boys who incessantly conspired to test their love. Their love won. Bert became a deacon of the Catholic Church in 1974; he was a man of deep and abiding faith.

Bert is survived by his five sons Ralph (Darlene), David, Gregory (Mylene), Mark (Nancy), and Ronald, eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

May he rest in peace. The family would like to express heartfelt gratitude to Margaret Sibley for her tireless love and support of the family throughout the years. There will be a mass for Bert at Annunziata Catholic Church on Thursday, November 7, 2024 at noon.