Jeannette "Jeannie" Dupre

Opelousas- Funeral services for Jeannie Young Dupre will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2024 in Sibille Funeral Home Chapel in Opelousas. Reverend Perry Hubbs will conduct the service, and the eulogy will be given by her daughters. Burial will be held at Bellevue Memorial Park Cemetery in Opelousas.

Jeannie Young Dupre, a resident of Carencro, LA, passed away peacefully in her home on December 30, 2023 at 7:00 am at the age of 68. Jeannie always had a zest for life that was infectious to everyone around her. She was a strong and loving mother, wonderful wife, loyal friend, and  phenomenal nurse. Her motto was, "Work hard. Play hard." and she truly embodied that phrase by perfectly balancing her passion for nursing with her ability to be an amazing mother and the heart and soul of her family.

Born in Opelousas, LA to a rice farmer and a homemaker, she was the youngest of four sisters. Growing up on a farm, she loved being outside, climbing trees, and helping her dad on the farm and in his shop. Jeannie was born with a strong passion for music and learned to play the trumpet at a young age and loved playing Taps for her dad.

Jeannie attended high school at Acadia Baptist Academy in Eunice, LA from 1970 to 1973. Her accomplishments there included being a basketball statistician her freshman year, voted most athletic her sophomore year, elected class officer her junior year as well as being voted wittiest and class favorite. In her senior year she participated in private music and student council and was voted most athletic and class favorite for a second time.

From there, Jeannie attended USL and graduated in the spring of 1979 with a degree in nursing. After graduation, she began her nursing career at Lafayette General Medical Center as a floor nurse and quickly worked her way up to floor supervisor. This is where Jeannie realized her passion for nursing. Motivated by this passion, she decided to advance her career by successfully completing a certification exam given by the American Society of Post Anesthesia Nurses. This certification allowed her to become the very first of only two Certified Post Anesthesia Nurses in the city of Lafayette. Jeannie found her true calling as a recovery room nurse. Inspired by this work, she decided to take her career further by getting her master's degree. In 1995 she graduated from Xavier University in New Orleans, LA with a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia where she completed her clinical rotations at Charity Hospital. After this achievement, Jeannie, her husband, and her two daughters moved back to Lafayette where she worked at various hospitals as a CRNA becoming one of the most valued nurses in her specialty.

Jeannie was an amazing person who truly balanced her work and home life flawlessly. In the midst of all these accomplishments, Jeannie maintained her zest for life. In 1975 she met Mike, and what began as a true and genuine friendship turned into a lasting relationship where she can honestly say she married her best friend. Jeannie was strong and loyal, and if she called you a friend you knew she would always be there for you and have your back in any situation. She had a smile that could light up any room and a laugh so contagious it was impossible to be in a bad mood around her. Jeannie's passion for nursing was matched only by her passion for music. She loved attending as many concerts, music festivals, and Downtown Alive events as she possibly could. Jeannie enjoyed the simple things in life, and just because they were simple did not mean they were boring. Jeannie was the life of the party and could turn any moment into the most fun you've ever had. She loved being outdoors, going on road trips with friends, and camping. She loved hanging out on the bayou at the camp listening to music, surrounded by the people she loved, laughing, having a good time, and drinking beer. She enjoyed going to dive bars and playing pool with her friends. She loved spending time with her husband and her two girls. She was actively involved in her girls' lives by attending their sporting events, dance recitals, judging their speech tournaments, and traveling with them to national speech competitions. Jeannie would also attend annual medical mission trips to Mexico to perform free anesthesia on children with cleft palates as well as giving out shoes and eyeglasses to those communities in need. Jeannie loved to party so it only made sense for her to be actively involved in Mardi Gras. She rode in various Mardi Gras parades and was a member of multiple Mardi Gras krewes including Cleopatra in New Orleans and Rio & Bonaparte in Lafayette. Jeannie truly loved life and firmly believed in living it to the fullest. Despite having less years on this earth than most people, that did not stop Jeannie from creating a lifetime full of wonderful memories.
 
Survivors include her husband of 38 years and best friend, Michael Paul Dupre of Carencro, LA; two daughters: Rachael Elizabeth Dupre and her partner Bethany Newman of Houston, TX and Jennifer Dupre Gallet and her husband Caleb Gallet of Carencro, LA; two sisters: Lorraine Young Williams of Humble, TX and Mary Beth Bullara of Opelousas, LA; one step-grandson, Conner Gallet, 8 years old.
 
Jeannie was preceded in death by her parents J. Edward "Doc" Young and Jeannette Matt Young of Opelousas, LA; her sister Judy Young Marks of Opelousas, LA; and her brothers-in-law Vincent Bullara of Opelousas, LA and Jim Williams of Humble, TX.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 5, 2023 from 12 noon until 9:00 PM in the Sibille Funeral Home in Opelousas. Visiation will resume on Saturday from 8:00 AM until the time of service at 10:00 AM in the funeral home.

The family would also like to recognize and thank everyone who dedicated their time and services to help take care of Jeannie. These people include: her sister-in-law, Jeanne Dupre, Lavaria Baham, Alicia Leger, Tammy Richard, Chris LeBlanc, and the crew at Heart of Hospice with special acknowledgements to Lara, Stacey, and Kellie.

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