Vertie Kathleen Hebert

The world lost a little of its sparkle when Vertie Kathleen Hebert left us at just 57 years old on March 19, 2022. Born on December 6, 1964 in Leesville, Louisiana to Claytonia Lavon and Henry Rogers, Vertie was eldest of 8 and was always the life of the party. She cheered for and graduated from Rosepine High School in 1982, and did them the honor of being crowned the very first Miss Rosepine. She graduated with her Associates in General Studies from Northwestern State University in 2009. The family will be holding visitation on Saturday April, 2, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and a memorial service from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Crosspointe Church of Shreveport at 5550 Jefferson Paige Road, Shreveport LA 71119. The memorial service will be followed by a graveside service at Cooper Cemetery at 2:30 p.m., 853 Cooper Church Road, Leesville, LA 71446. Nothing brought Vertie greater pleasure than being a wife, mother, aunt, Gigi and friend. A true Southern Belle, she lived for entertaining! She enjoyed being surrounded by people she cared about and often hosted holidays, birthdays, and of course, Super Bowl parties. She loved any excuse to celebrate, but her absolute favorite time of year was Mardi Gras season. She spent several years in the Krewe of Gemini, but she really found her home when she joined the Krewe of Akewa in 2018. One of her happiest Mardi Gras moments was being crowned the Krewe of Akewa Queen XVI in 2020, and she spent the year in full, fabulous Vertie form - she wore her crown loud and proud and carried out her duties with her own special flourish! This wasn't her first rodeo as a queen though, Vertie won beauty pageants all over the country from the time she was a very small girl. Her talent was always dance, and she could really wow on the dance floor. She was very much a queen who always fixed your crown, and as a crowned World Miss Lovely Lady, she carried herself with high standards. You could always find her decked to the nines, with full accessories and makeup. She was happiest when she was matchy-matchy, and she loved to show off her sense of fashion and ability to wear the brightest colors and biggest jewels with class. Vertie always said she could sell ice cubes to Eskimos, and her decades long career in the car industry was proof of that. She started her career at Gray Nissan of Deridder in 1997, and found her forever work family in the Orr Auto Group of Shreveport for the last 19 long years! She was proud of the work she did, and even during the hardest times on a grueling car lot, her "pick yourself up and dust yourself off" mentality always brought the joy back to her. Vertie never met a stranger, and she often turned her customers into her lifelong friends. She worked long, hard hours with the sole intentions of providing for her family and enjoying life - she showered those she loved with gifts and flowers at every occasion, and all she wanted in return was to see you smile. It's cliché, but she always had an electric smile for anyone and everyone, and she could brighten up the darkest of days. She loved people without judgement and wrapped them up in her personal sunshine, even in her own darkness, while letting them know it was okay to not always feel okay. Vertie's capacity for love was unmatched, and she loved you fiercely whether you were blood or not. She was a "second Mom" to many, and a dear friend to most. Though we mourn the loss of her spark in life, we take peace and comfort in knowing she is no longer in any pain, wrapped in the arms of her beloved parents. Vertie was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Hebert; her mother and father, Lavon and Henry Rogers; her dear sister, Loretta Armand; and brother-in-law Chris Beard. She is survived by her children, Danny Schnell, Brianne Schnell, and Matthew Schnell (Morgan), along with those she considered her own, James Armand (Tabitha), Chelsea Brocato (Shon), Francesca Aievoli, and Brandon Horsley (Maggie); her grandchildren, Sandy and Alyssa Schnell, Penelope Schnell, Ava and Ryker Armand, Tripp, Louis, Chase, Matthew, and Murphy Brocato, Thalia Reed, Emma and Jax Horsley; and her siblings, Hank Rogers (Rhonda), Rosa Calhoun (Robby), Wesley Rogers, Blanche Akana (Jason), Brenda Gobert (Brian), Alexis Beard and Ira Carl (Tammy); along with the slew of nieces and nephews her large family gave her. Vertie loved to give and receive flowers, and would take great joy in receiving them one last time. They can be sent in her name to Rose-Neath Southside Funeral Home at 2500 Southside Drive, Shreveport LA 71118. However, if you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the Krewe of Akewa and Moose Lodge #2239's cause - Mooseheart Child City and School Inc. at www.mooseheart.org