Dr. Charles Bertrand

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held for Dr. Charles C. Bertrand on Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in St. Landry Catholic Church Opelousas, Louisiana.

Dr. Bertrand was 85 years old when he went home to be with Jesus on Monday, August 16, 2021, at his residence in Opelousas.

The family requests that visitation be observed in Sibille Funeral Home in Opelousas on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, from 4:00 pm. until 9:00 p.m. A rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m.  by Sammy Diesi and visitation will continue Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 8:00 a.m.  until time of services. Interment will be in follow in Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery.

Father James Brady will serve as Celebrant of the Mass and conduct the funeral services. Assisting in the funeral Mass will be Deacon Sammy Diesi. Music will be provided by Sharee Doucet. Offering gifts, will be brought up by Unricka Richard and Chelsea Sylvester his caregivers. Readers will Andrea Bertrand Hulse and Olivia Sebastien.

Left behind to cherish his memory are his son Timothy Bertrand and his wife Margaret, and his two stepsons, Robby and Randy Viator, Denis Bertrand and his wife Diane and their children Adam, Alex, Eric, Neal, and Lori, daughter Jeannine Bertrand Guilbeaux and her husband Lynn Guilbeaux, daughter Andrea Bertrand Hulse and her husband Frank Hulse and their two children Emma and Alexandra, his sister Henrietta Bertrand Boriskie and her two children Mike and his wife Leslie, Karen Boriskie Mills, her daughter Michelle Gaspard Marks and son-in-law John Marks, and their children Layla and Eli Marks. He is also survived by his stepchildren Joseph R. “Robbie” Sebastien, Jr., Christopher Michael Sebastien, David Charles Sebastien and wife Sharon, William “Billy” Kerr Sebastien and Jonathan Kent Sebastien and wife Justine, daughters Geraldine Vaughn Bouchereau and husband Forrest, Heidi Maria LeDoux and husband David, Carrie Sebastien, Margaret Anne Doise and husband Daryl, Theresa Claire Fontenot and husband Michael, 24 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents Denis Daniel Bertrand and Bertha Poirier Bertrand, brother, Jean-Paul Bertrand, and his wife Carolyn Vaughn Mayer Bertrand and stepson, Stephen Sebastien.

Dr. Charles Bertrand, known lovingly as “Dr. B”, was born on December 13, 1935, in Washington D.C. As a young man, Dr. Bertrand entered the seminary to become a priest. After reflection, he instead “decided to serve the Lord…by studying medicine.” He came to Opelousas in 1965 and began caring for generations of families. Dr. B worked at the Opelousas General for 52 years, where he was honored for his work, dedication, and love he has shared with the hospital and the community.

As the years passed in his pediatric practice, Dr. Bertrand was drawn to helping others beyond his Opelousas community. In the late 1970s, he made his first mission trip to Peru and Haiti. Since that first trip, he made over 60 mission trips, which taught him the importance of giving back. Through his mission work, Dr. Bertrand developed a relationship with another passionate missionary, Mother Teresa. He was heavily involved in the Cursillo Center in Prairie Ronde and Community of Jesus Christ Crucified of St. Martinville.

The family of Dr. Charles Bertrand would like to thank his three caregivers, Unricka Richard, Chelsea Sylvester, and Ranatta Richard.

Pallbearers will be Adam Bertrand, Alex Bertrand, Morgan Fontenot, Jack Sebastien, Drewitt Sebastien and Sloan Leger.

Words of Comfort to the family may be expressed at www.sibillefuneralhomes.com. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Sibille Funeral Home of Opelousas.