By: TONY MARKS
Editor
Carissa Hebert, who served as editor of the Ville Platte Gazette from 1998-2011, passed away on Wednesday, May 21, at the age of 59. A Catholic funeral service was held at Ardoin’s Funeral Home in Eunice on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 1 p.m. Deacon Gary Gaudin officiated.
“Carissa was a beloved person not just to her newspaper colleagues but also to the communities she served as a reporter and editor during her career,” publisher Garland Forman explained. “On a personal note, I have known Carissa throughout her career, and she was always a consummate professional who was expert and skilled in covering news stories and always came up with creative and bright solutions for every issue. She always wanted to help others, and Carissa would do whatever it took to get her job done.”
Forman added there were three things that stood out concerning Hebert. First was always family. She cared and loved all her family members and cared for them when they needed her. Second was her love for the community. Hebert always wanted to be a part of the community she worked. She continued her community work in Allen Parish and still helped in Ville Platte. Third was journalism.
She always wanted to get to the truth in the stories she was covering. During her career she was able to bring injustices in small communities to light with her reporting. She always felt the public had a right to know what governmental agencies were doing. That included making sure the public meetings and public records, under law, were open to the public.
“She will be missed by her family and her newspaper family,” Forman continued. “She was a beacon of light when it came to her reporting in the newspaper industry.”
David Ortego, former publisher of the Gazette who hired Hebert as editor, commented, “Carissa was a great person and a great editor. She always went the extra mile to help produce a product that met the needs of the reader and management. She had no problem at crossing over to other departments and helping them with any problem they may have been experiencing. Carissa always put in the extra hours to get the job done.”
“She was also a people person with a big heart, a great listener, and a generous soul,” Ortego continued. “She will be missed by people in and out of the profession.”
Hebert was born on Tuesday, January 11, 1966 in Eunice. Her obituary described her life as a testament to her unique spirit and unwavering dedication to her community and her craft.
From a young age, according to her obituary, Hebert embraced her passion for the newspaper industry, embarking on a career that would define her life. Her commitment to reporting and serving her community was evident in her roles as a reporter for many newspapers, including the Eunice News, and her positions as managing editor of the Ville Platte Gazette, the Kinder Courier, and the Oakdale Journal. She approached every story with diligence, ensuring that her readers received the highest quality papers, whether covering monthly meetings, going on ride-alongs with local law enforcement, or capturing joyous moments in the lives of the residents she served. Throughout her career, Hebert received numerous accolades for her writing, reflecting her dedication and talent.
A graduate of New Iberia Senior High, according to her obituary, Hebert also attended LSU-Eunice, where she pursued studies in criminal justice and journalism. Her pursuit of knowledge was a reflection of her nurturing nature and her desire to assist others. Hebert’s warm smile and hearty laugh made everyone feel welcomed, and her generous spirit knew no bounds. She was particularly nurturing towards her siblings as well as her nieces and nephews, who lovingly referred to her as “Aunt KK.”
Hebert was also proud to be a long-time member of the Louisiana Cotton Festival board. Her contributions were significant, as she played a vital role in organizing the festival’s entertainment and setting up the Cotton Festival Parade, showcasing her leadership and dedication to her community.
Kelli Buller, who served on the Cotton Festival board with Hebert and who is a past president of the board, said they first met each other back in the late 1990s. “We just clicked as friends,” she said.
Buller shared a few memories of her time on the board with Hebert.
One year, at a Louisiana Fairs and Festivals Convention, Chris Grey and his band were performing during the showcase. “After it was over,” Buller recalled, “we and Boggy Bayou all got together with the band and went in the main hall while they were cleaning up. The band came and visited with us and serenaded us, and we talked until 3:30 in the morning with that band just sitting there laughing and learning about them.”
On the following day, the same band was playing at a bar in Watson. Buller said, “They gave Carissa, because Carissa was always our driver, the address. After the pageant, that Saturday night, we took off for Watson. We didn’t know where we were going. We ended up going down some little gravel road to find that little hole in the wall bar. Sure enough, we made it. When we opened the door, (Chris) stopped playing and said, ‘Oh, my God, the ladies are here.’ We had the best time at that bar, jumped back in the car, and made it back to Baton Rouge.”
Buller further recalled herself, Hebert, and Stephanie Deville began calling themselves the band’s groupies. Hebert then found out Chris Grey and his band were playing at the Strawberry Festival in Pontchatoula.
“We decided to take a road trip,” Buller said. “Sure enough, Carissa the driver took us all of the way. When (Chris) spotted us in the crowd, he hollered at us again.”
“Carissa was always up for a ride,” Buller went on to say, “and she was always the most cheerful one. She was always the momma hen who took care of all of us.”
Buller went on to describe Hebert as being the level headed one on the board. “She was the one who always calmed me down when I was a nervous wreck,” she said about Hebert.
One example of Hebert’s level headedness on the board was when she helped chaperones the visiting queens and the queen contestants while they were spending the night at Sacred Heart High School.
“It was a big slumber party for us adults,” Buller said. “One time, it was so cold in there because we didn’t know how to turn off the air conditioner in the classrooms. We slept in the library, and it was so cold that Carissa got the girls’ mantles. We all slept under the mantles. I remember Carissa had the Fur and Wildlife mantle. That’s what she used as a blanket because it was a warm one. That was some fun times when we all chaperoned.”
Gilbert “Winky” Aucoin, a relative of Hebert, is also a past president of the Cotton Festival board and recalled working very closely with Hebert on the festival.
“At the time,” Aucoin recalled, “we usually had someone from the Gazette on the Louisiana Cotton Festival board because the Gazette would come to our meetings. Carissa, as a board member, was very active and very helpful. She played a vital role on the board and was very, very active at that time.”
Aucoin stated Hebert actively helped when the festival moved from city park to its location on the Whiteville Road. “It was a big move for us,” he said. “So, (Carissa) jumped in and assisted. She was always willing to help, was always caring and polite, and was always reliable.”
Carissa had a passion for the game of pool. She was a member of the American Poolplayer’s Association (APA) and had the opportunity to play in the national competition in Las Vegas.
Hebert is survived by her mother, Christine Hebert; her siblings, Wendy Fullone, Racheal Grimshaw (Art), Jeffrey Hanson (Lori), Brian Cheeks (Krystal), Anastasia Hanson, Kevin Hebert, Mordello “Marty” Hebert Jr. (Shashoney), and Christopher Smith; sister-in-law, Glenda Hebert; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her father, Mordello G. Brud Hebert Sr.; her brother, Wendell Hebert; and grandparents, Gerald and Virginia Hebert and Margaret Hanson.
Chief Chris Soileau, on behalf of the staff and firefighters of the Ville Platte Fire Department, expressed thoughts on Hebert’s passing. He shared, “A tribute from the Ville Platte Fire Department to Carissa.
“Carissa was more than an editor— she was the voice of our community, the keeper of our stories, and a steadfast friend to the Ville Platte Fire Department.”
“Through her words, she captured the dedication behind every call, the sacrifice behind every sleepless night, and the heart of those who serve. She made sure our stories were heard, our triumphs celebrated, and our struggles understood.”
“Carissa, your legacy lives on in the pages you filled, the lives you touched, and the community you uplifted. Thank you for being our advocate, our storyteller, and a cherished part of Ville Platte.”
“Rest easy, Carissa. You will never be forgotten. From Chief Chris Soileau, the staff and Firefighters of the Ville Platte Volunteer Fire Department.”
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