Julia "Judy" Mcguire

Julia Marie Bergeron McGuire was born on December 7, 1940, in Klotzville, Louisiana, and died on December 23, 2022, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at 82 years of age. She was the daughter of the late Lawrence Emile Bergeron, Sr., and Thelma Marie Dupre Bergeron, of Belle Rose, Louisiana. Known to most as Judy, she grew up in both Belle Rose and Donaldsonville, Louisiana, where she lived a most idyllic life. Many of her French ancestors had settled in Assumption Parish along Bayou Lafourche, and Judy was blessed to have grown up among her grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. With her father being one of twelve children and her mother one of thirteen, there were a total of sixty-nine first cousins, and she loved them all dearly. After graduating from Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, in 1958, she moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she met her future husband, Thomas Loudon McGuire, Jr. They married on September 7, 1964, and made Baton Rouge their home, remaining together until Tommy’s death on August 12, 2010. They had four children, Thomas Loudon McGuire III, Maria Madelyn McGuire Haynes, Roger Emile McGuire, and Catherine Loudon McGuire Wilty. Her husband and children were her world, and she was the quintessential wife and mother. Dinner was on the table every evening for sit-down family meals, lunches were packed and uniforms pressed every morning for school, the family was in church every Sunday, and the home was always immaculate. She was also quite involved in the schools of her children, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School, Catholic High School, and St. Joseph’s Academy, and in her church, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, assuming various responsibilities over the years. One of her greatest roles beyond raising her children, however, was supporting her husband throughout his many years in the Knights of Columbus. As Tommy rose through the ranks and his duties expanded, Judy was always at his side. She was the perfect “first lady,” and Tommy was especially grateful for her outstanding secretarial and organizational skills. Judy was proud to have worked at Catholic High School as secretary to the assistant principal and as registrar for over twenty years. She loved her time there, especially the students and her co-workers. She was adored by the students as well. In recent years, Judy enjoyed volunteering for the Archives Department of the Diocese of Baton Rouge as well as cleaning tables and greeting customers at her nephew Don Bergeron’s restaurant. In her free time, she cherished spending time with her grandchildren. She also loved gardening, reading, scrapbooking, coloring, playing games, listening to music, dancing, and traveling, especially to New York City. Her passion, however, was genealogy. She spent countless hours researching both the Bergeron and Dupre families and was successful in documenting her ancestors all the way back to France. She was extremely proud of this work and had bound copies made for each family.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a brother, Donald Joseph Bergeron, Sr., and his wife, Elizabeth Sanchez Bergeron, and her in-laws, Thomas Loudon McGuire and Madelyn Marie Elwell McGuire.

She is survived by her children, Thomas and wife Lori, Maria and husband Scott, Roger and wife Amanda, and Catherine and husband Roy; grandchildren, Madelyn Frances Haynes and fiancé William Mathews, William Scott Haynes, Ashley Marie McGuire, Loudon Andrew McGuire, John Powers Wilty, John Henry Haynes, Patrick Thomas Wilty, Lillian Frances McGuire, and Emily Elizabeth Haynes LaBiche and husband Drew; her big brother, Lawrence Emile “Bud” Bergeron, Jr., and wife Joyce Grisaffe Bergeron; brother-in-law, Michael Loudon McGuire and wife Anne Shaffer McGuire; her very special nieces and nephews and their families, many cousins, godchildren, and friends. Affectionately known as Nana by her grandchildren, she will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Visitation will take place on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Avenue, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m., celebrated by Judy’s first cousin, the Reverend Matthew Dupre. Serving as pallbearers will be her nephews, Henry Anthony Bergeron, Barry John Bergeron, Lawrence Emile Bergeron III, Samuel L. Bergeron, Michael James Bergeron, Ricky Joseph Bergeron, Donald Joseph Bergeron, Jr., and Michael Loudon McGuire, Jr. Interment will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. For memorial donations, the family suggests Catholic High School, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ascension Catholic High School, Donaldsonville, Louisiana, or the charity of your choice.