Cheryl Ann Kidder Sonnier

Breaux Bridge - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 pm, on Friday, June 5, 2026, at St. Bernard Catholic Church for Cheryl Ann Kidder Sonnier, who passed away on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

A visitation will take place at Pellerin Funeral Home in Breaux Bridge on Friday from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm.

A Rosary will be prayed at 12:30 pm on Friday.

Fr. Reed Bellingham will officiate the Funeral Mass. Readers will be Michelle Sonnier and Alana Adams. Gift bearers will be Mia Schultz, Ophelia Trahan, and Leona Schultz. Kathryn Sonnier will serve as an altar server.

Burial will follow at St. Bernard Cemetery No. 2.

Cheryl Ann Kidder Sonnier, a native of Arnaudville, Louisiana, was one of those rare people who quietly and faithfully made everything around her better, never seeking recognition. She didn't need to fill a room with noise; her smile did that for her. Kind to her core, fiercely protective of those she loved, and hardworking by nature, Cheryl met the world with grace, steady strength, and a warmth people never forgot. She was, in every sense of the word, a rock-star of a human being, and she did it all without ever making it about herself. Through every season of life, including its hardest, she showed up for her students, her church, her community, and above all, her family.

Education wasn't just her career; it was her calling. It took her from Leonville High School, where she graduated as Salutatorian, to a Bachelor's degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), a Master's degree from Louisiana State University, and a Plus 30 from USL, because she never stopped growing. That calling led her to more than three decades as a primary and elementary school teacher with the St. Martin Parish School Board. She began teaching 5th grade before finding her true home in the 2nd-grade classroom at Breaux Bridge Primary, where she remained for the rest of her teaching career. After 30 years, she retired, then kept going for seven more, including through the DROP program, because that's simply who she was. Her students adored her, and it showed. For several years at Breaux Bridge Primary, she ran a small store in her classroom, stocked with discounted supplies, free finds, and items earned through Scholastic points: crayons, markers, notebooks, and erasers. She sold them affordably to students who didn't have much, then used the proceeds to restock and do it all over again. No fanfare, no recognition, just Cheryl, quietly making sure every child had what they needed. She also tutored privately, extending her gift well beyond the classroom walls.

On June 22, 1974, she married Ronald "Ron" James Sonnier, and together they built a life full of love, laughter, and partnership. They owned and operated Kajun Koin Laundry for eight years, and her children still remember tagging along before school to help collect the change, small moments that became lasting memories. Cheryl brought that same gift to her community during her years selling Tupperware, gathering people together wherever she went.

A devoted member of St. Bernard Catholic Church, Cheryl grounded her life in faith. She was active in her Rosary Group and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, living out her beliefs not just in prayer but in how she treated everyone around her.

She was her children's greatest cheerleader, present at every cross-country and track meet, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and softball game, dance recital, gymnastics and tumbling practice, and cheerleading event. She pushed her children to do well in school, not by demanding it, but by living it herself. With access to laminating machines, cutout letters, and all the tools of her trade, she helped elevate every school project into something polished and professional. She proofread everything, drilled spelling words with flashcards, and when one of her children came home in tears over a school assignment they didn't understand, she sat them down, explained it patiently, and then made them do it independently from the beginning because that's how you truly learn. Every summer, while other teachers rested, Cheryl was at the kitchen table teaching her children the math they'd need come fall, getting them ahead before the year even began. Even when she was off work, she was still teaching. She always showed up.

That same boundless love extended to her grandchildren, and there was always a grandchild in her arms. Becoming Gigi was one of the greatest joys of her life, and she had a special way with each of her grandchildren. She took them to Vacation Bible School at St. Bernard Church every summer, taught them to play solitaire and tablet games, and always seemed to know exactly which candy each one loved best. For one, it was Skittles; for the others, she always knew just what would make them smile. She let the little ones sit right beside her. She could be found coloring with her grandchildren, holding the littlest ones close, and soaking in every moment with them. Gigi was the kind of grandmother who whispered sweet conspiracies, slipped them treats, and made every single one of them feel like her favorite. That was her gift: making people feel loved, one small, quiet moment at a time.

When life slowed down, Cheryl could be found lost in a good novel or one of her favorite mystery TV shows, working a crossword puzzle, tackling Sudoku, or playing Scrabble with a sharpness that could rival a computer. She crocheted afghans for her children and grandchildren and took just as much joy in giving them away as she did in making them. Those blankets are still being wrapped around shoulders today. She loved Pokeno and dominoes, and she had a true gift for finding a great bargain, whether at a garage sale or anywhere else the hunt took her. She was legendary for it; she could walk out of Dillard's having spent next to nothing and somehow come out ahead. Her favorite color was red, and over the years, her family lovingly added to a treasured collection of red apples that held a special place in her home. Family gatherings meant Cheryl arrived with her famous blueberry pie or chocolate éclair pie in hand, a tradition her family will always treasure. She and Ron were adventurous travelers, journeying to Jamaica, Cozumel, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Gatlinburg, and Austin, and taking bus trips through Canada, Niagara Falls, New York City, San Francisco, and Branson, as well as cherished visits to the Washington, D.C. area. She could also be found sitting outside, watching the birds, at peace and present in the world she loved, and she leaves behind a family who was loved just as well.

Cheryl is survived by her beloved husband of 51 years, Ron Sonnier; her son, Matthew "Matt" Sonnier and his wife Michelle Sonnier, and their children: Kaleb Sonnier, Andrew Sonnier, Kathryn Sonnier, and Eli Sonnier; her daughter, Erika Schultz and her husband Michael Schultz, and their children: Mia Schultz, Ophelia Trahan, Leona Schultz, and Wyatt Schultz; and her daughter, Alana Adams and her husband Michael Adams. She is also survived by her sisters, Bonnie Angle, Cynthia (Cindy) Pontiff, and Janet LaGrange.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leola Lalonde Kidder and Remi Kidder, and her brother, Burton W. Kidder, Sr.

Pallbearers will be Matt Sonnier, Kaleb Sonnier, Andrew Sonnier, Eli Sonnier, Michael Schultz, and Michael Adams.

Pellerin Funeral Home (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements.

Written with love by her family.