Obituaries

Vesta Barnhart Sousa

Photo of Vesta Barnhart Sousa
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." Sousa, Vesta Barnhart A loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend; she entered the presence of her Lord and Savior on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013 at the age of 86 years. She will be deeply missed by her family and all those whose lives she touched. She was well loved, living her life in God's service, loving and serving others. She was known for her generous heart, spiritual counsel and beautiful smile. She loved the Lord with all of her heart, soul and strength. She treasured her family. She was a long time member of Amite Baptist Church and worked most of her life in the position of a Sunday School Teacher. We are comforted in our grief by the knowledge that we have been blessed just by having the honor of knowing her and being a part of this wonderful lady's life. Though sorrow fills our heart with her passing, we know she is in a better place, and someday we will meet her again. She was born June 1, 1927 to the union of George Sherman and Nettie Mayfield Barnhart in North Little Rock, Ark. She met the love of her life, Joseph Sousa Jr. "Johnny" in 1944 at Camp Robinson Army base while she was working in the Post Exchange. They married July 29, 1945 in North Little Rock and immediately transferred to El Paso, Texas. After discharging from the army in Nov. 1945, they moved to Akron, Ohio for Johnny to work at a tire plant where their first daughter, Linda was born. He transferred to another tire plant in New Haven, Conn., his home town, where their second daughter, JoAnn, was born. After two years they decided to move to North Little Rock, Ark., her home town, for Johnny to attend college on his GI bill of rights at the University of Arkansas while he worked at the VA Hospital, where their third daughter, Christy, was born. In 1958, Johnny surrendered to the ministry and they transferred to Conway Baptist College to attend seminary. After pastoring several churches in Ark. they accepted a position in 1968 as a Louisiana State Missionary for the Baptist Missionary Association, and begin to serve at Timberlane Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La. After 8 years they accepted a church in Hot Springs, Ark. for the Arkansas Mission Board. He passed away in 1978 after 33 years of marriage. Vesta moved back to Baton Rouge. where her 3 daughters were living. She went to work at Montgomery Ward as the catalog manager and retired in 1987. In 1988 she married Normand Lasseigne and he passed away in Jan. 2013 after 25 years of marriage. Visitation will be at Seale Funeral Home on Monday 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. and will resume on Tuesday at 10 a.m. until time of the service at 11 a.m. conducted by the Rev. James Speer and Rev. Earnest Graham. Interment will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park Denham Springs. She is survived by her daughters, Linda Estelle, JoAnn Whitehead and Leroy, Christy Bourgeois and James, all of Denham Springs; grandchildren Shawn Estelle, Phillip Estelle, Kari Boyer and Mark, Lori Minsky and Louis, Brent Whitehead and Catherine, Chanda Dickerson and Joel, Amanda Bourgeois and Joey Norris, Kyle Bourgeois and Amber; great-grandchildren, Orry Estelle, Shane Estelle, Trent Estelle, Rhett Estelle, Blake Estelle, Dylan Estelle, Chase Zieman, Kahner Boyer, Kayden Boyer, Britton Dickerson, Abram Dickerson, Collin Dickerson, Elizabeth Dickerson, Joseph Bourgeois, James Bourgeois, Tinzlee Norris; sisters, Lorene Swayze and Alta Tramel; brother, Oather Fulmer Jr. and Linda; sister-in-law Linda Barnhart; also survived by a host of beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by Joseph Sousa Jr., Normand Lasseigne; her parents; sisters, Elsie Chafton, Dorothy Coker and Merline Fulmer; brothers, Roy, Raymond, Eugene "Dean" and T. J. Barnhart; son-in-law G. W. Estelle. Pallbearers will be her grandsons and sons-in-law; honorary pallbearers will be her great-grandsons. Special thanks to all the wonderful care, support, and visits: St. Joseph Carpenter House, (especially Trygve), Dr. Casine, Dr. Minsky, Michelle Estelle, Betty Nielsen, Karen Williams, Emily Stewart and Kelly Grace. Her sister Lorene for all the loving care you gave our mom. To sign online guest book visit http://www.sealefuneral.com.

Published October 14, 2013

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