Vela Mae Montgomery

March 16, 1929 - April 28, 2014
WASHINGTON - Funeral services will be held for Vela Mae Montgomery, 85, of Washington, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Washington at 1 p.m., Thursday, May 1. Burial will follow in the Cedar Hill Cemetery.
A native of Whiteville, Ms. Montgomery died Monday, April 28, 2014. She loved her flower gardens and received the “Garden of the Month” award several times. She enjoyed dancing and was a member of the Cajun Ramblers Dance Club. She was a wonderful baker and was a prolific fruit cake maker, a seamstress and upholsterer. She gave back to her community by volunteering her time with the Council on Aging. She loved spending time with family and friends and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Survivors include five sons, William Montgomery III and his wife, Patrice, and Daniel Montgomery and his wife, Sue, all of Opelousas, Eddie Montgomery of Leonville, Donald Montgomery and his wife, Barbara, of Prairie Ronde and Fred Montgomery and his wife, Missy, of Melville; three daughters, Elaine Richard and her husband, Joe, and Paula Deranger and her husband, Paul, all of Grand Prairie, and Nancy Bridges and her husband, Clark, of Opelousas; her daughter-in-law, Janet Reed Montgomery; 18 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bubba) Jefferson Montgomery Jr.; her parents, Leonard Edward and Nancy Alice Soileau; one son, Richard K. Montgomery Sr.; four brothers, Willard, Allie, Perry and Errol Soileau; two grandsons, Tracy Richard and Joseph Richard III; and one great-grandson, Caleb Billeaudeaux.
Pall bearers will be William J. Montgomery IV, Anthony Murrow Montgomery, Stephen Scott Montgomery, Andrew Paul Deranger, Frederick W. Billeaudeaux and David Baker III. Honorary pall bearers will be Joshua Billeaudeaux and Gavin Ash.
Rev. Jarrod Suire will officiate.
Family and friends are invited to sign and view the online guestbook at www.lafondardoin.com.
LaFond-Ardoin Funeral Home of Opelousas will be in charge of arrangements.