Dorothy Bonin Breaux

New Iberia – A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Monday, June 29, 2026, at Nativity of Our Lady Catholic Church, honoring the life of Dorothy “Dot” Bonin Breaux, 88, who entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

Rev. Keith Landry will be the Celebrant, and Rev. Ed Degeyter will con-celebrate.

Entombment will follow at Nativity of Our Lady Cemetery.

A gathering of family and friends will be at Pellerin Funeral Home on Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm, and will resume on Monday from 8:00 am until 9:15 am.

A rosary, led by the Men’s Rosary Group, will be prayed at 6:00 pm on Sunday.

Dorothy Eva “Dot” Bonin Breaux was the beloved wife and soulmate of Felton J. Breaux, Sr.

She and Felton built a life defined by faith, devotion, hard work, and enduring love, raising three children, Debbie, Buddy, and Phyllis.

Known affectionately as “Dot” to those who loved her, she possessed both extraordinary talent and quiet determination. Long before computers transformed the embroidery industry, sports teams and dance studios from across the country entrusted their uniforms and costumes to her skilled hands. She meticulously sketched each design by hand before bringing it to life with colorful stitching and remarkable precision.

Her embroidery business was more than a craft; it was a labor of love that helped support her husband as he built a successful family enterprise. Together, they owned and operated Parkview Cleaners and several laundromats in New Iberia. Later, after Dot retired from embroidery, Felton sold the businesses to Buddy and began a successful career as a Medicare Insurance Advisor.

Dot found joy in tending her garden, traveling the world with her family, visiting the casino, and creating memorable holiday gatherings. Nothing made her happier than having her family together around her table to enjoy holiday meals, especially her beloved pork roast, the perfect Cajun rusty gravy and rice, potato salad, homemade macaroni and cheese, and bread pudding. Her shrimp mold, bacon-wrapped livers, and fried chicken drumettes on Christmas Eve were the stuff legends are made of.

Dot carried herself with timeless grace and elegance, never leaving home without her hair styled and makeup carefully applied. Though she was quiet and reserved, her words carried weight. When Dot spoke her mind, she really had something to say, so you’d better listen.

Behind her gentle demeanor lived a strength that continually astonished those who loved her. In her 50s, she survived colon cancer and a life-threatening battle with peritonitis after doctors warned her family that the end was near. Years later, she faced small-cell lung cancer and was given six months or less to live. Once again, she defied every expectation. Years later, she even survived a devastating fall down two flights of escalator stairs without suffering a broken bone.

Time and again, Dot emerged from adversity stronger than before. She weathered challenges that would have defeated many others. Her resilience became so much a part of who she was that those who loved her began to believe that she might somehow overcome anything.

When her health began to decline, her family naturally hoped that same fighting spirit would carry her through once more. For decades, she had stared down impossible odds with courage, faith, and unwavering determination. But even the strongest oak, after standing faithfully through a lifetime of storms, must one day come to rest. God eventually calls every one of us home to His perfect world, free of suffering and pain and full of beauty and perfect love.

A devoted Catholic, Dot found strength in prayer and comfort in the Rosary. She lived her faith not only in worship, but through forgiveness, grace, and love.

Surrounded by the love of her family and the man who had faithfully stood beside her for seventy years, Dot’s long journey came to a peaceful end. Her resilient spirit will now be woven into the lives of all of those who knew her.

While her family grieves the loss of their beloved matriarch, they find comfort in knowing she has been welcomed into God’s eternal embrace, reunited with loved ones gone before her, and freed from all suffering. Her legacy lives on in the family she cherished, the traditions she created, the meals that brought everyone together, and the countless acts of love she gave so freely. She was the heart of her family and will be missed beyond measure, remembered always, and loved forever.

Dot is survived by her husband, Felton; her three children, Debbie Breaux Charpentier (James), Phyllis Breaux Romero (John), and Felton “Buddy” Breaux, Jr.; brother, Dalton Bonin (Lena); sisters, Gloria Boudreaux (James), and Doris Louviere (Lionel); stepbrother, Raymond Boutte; grandchildren, Ashley Daigle, Cody Charpentier, Elizabeth Romero, Ian Romero, Bud Breaux, and Samuel Breaux; and great-grandchildren, Hollis Daigle, Holden Daigle, X’avier Breaux, Marleigh Charpentier, Eri’Leigh Hollier, Evie Rapp-Romero, and Ottilie Rapp-Sorensen.

She was preceded in death by her father, Orelie Bonin; her mother, Inez Romero Bourque; stepfathers, Avery Bourque and Etienne Boutte; brother, Michael Boutte (Dolores); and stepbrothers, Francis Boutte, Kossuth Boutte, Allen Boutte, and Alwyn Boutte.

The family would like to thank Dot’s caregivers for their commitment and care shown during her time of need.

Pallbearers will be Buddy Breaux, James Charpentier, Cody Charpentier, Bud Breaux, Ian Romero, X’avier Breaux, Hollis Daigle, and Holden Daigle. Honorary Pallbearers will be Samuel Breaux, John Romero, Brock Daigle, and Michael Boutte.

Pellerin Funeral Home, 502 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia, LA 70560 (337-365-3331).