Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 7, 2025 at a 10:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial in The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Lafayette for Nancy Van Eaton Broussard Prince, age 86, who passed away on June 26, 2025 surrounded by her loving family at her residence in Lafayette.
Entombment will be in the St. John Cemetery Mausoleum.
The Very Reverend Monsignor W. Curtis Mallet, JCL, VG, will be the Celebrant of the Funeral Mass and officiate the services, Concelebrated by the Rev. Cedric Sonnier, Pastor of St. Mary, Mother of the Church, and by the Very Rev. ChesterC. Arceneaux, VF, Rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.
The funeral will be livestreamed online and can be accessed through the website of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist: https://www.youtube.com/live/QePh4CRhi5A?si=C3g-M7reDk2R__dR
Nancy is survived by her devoted husband, James “Jim” Prince, and her children and their spouses: David Van Eaton (Karen) of Fort Worth, TX; Diane Dorsa of Brentwood, TN; Cheryl Mooney (Rob) of Princeton, NJ; Craig Van Eaton (Kerri) of Wellington, FL; and Mark Van Eaton (Christi) of Lafayette, LA. She also leaves behind fourteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, whose lives span across seven states.
She was predeceased by her parents, Erwin and Ursula Iselt, her husband, Arthur Broussard, a local banking executive, and one grandson, Adam Van Eaton.
Nancy was born in Houston, TX on November 4, 1938, and became a trailblazer in Lafayette’s real estate industry and a beloved presence in its philanthropic community for decades. She moved to Lafayette in the 1960s, and her remarkable professional journey began when her father offered to pay for her real estate license.
She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a broker and launching her own firm. Early on, she hired her best friend, Gail Romero, as one of her first agents. Encouraging Gail to pursue her own broker’s license, the two single mothers soon joined forces to create Van Eaton & Romero Realtors.
Their leadership and vision transformed the Acadiana real estate market. In the mid-1990s, Nancy and Gail were nationally recognized as two of the most powerful women in real estate by Real Estate Marketing & Relocation Magazine. Nancy was among the first women to found her own real estate firm and serve on the local Board of Realtors, helping pave the way for women in what had been a male-dominated industry.
Founded in 1977, Van Eaton & Romero quickly gained momentum. With a focus on marketing, public relations, technology, and training, the firm grew into the top real estate company in the region. By the late 1990s, it was consistently ranked among the top 500 real estate companies in the U.S. by RealTrends Magazine, with over 300 agents and staff across five offices. In 2012, the firm merged with Latter & Blum Inc., and in 2017, it acquired Coldwell Banker-Pelican.
Philanthropy was central to Nancy and her giving reflected a deep commitment to education, the arts, the world around us, and the well-being of children. She supported and volunteered for the United Way and Scenic America. At the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, she supported numerous initiatives, including the Alumni Association, Friends of the Humanities, Friends of Music, Athletics, the College of the Arts, and the B.I. Moody III College of Business Sales Training Lab. One of her proudest achievements was the creation of a professorship chair in real estate through the UL Foundation.
Nancy’s generosity also reached dozens of community organizations, including the Lafayette Ballet Theater, Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, Children’s Museum of Acadiana, Lafayette Science Museum, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, Paul & Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, Lafayette Education Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Acadiana, among many others.
In recognition of her visionary generosity, Nancy, Gail, and their business partner William “Bill” Bacqué received the Community Foundation of Acadiana’s Corporate Philanthropy Award in 2015, and in 2016, Nancy and Gail were honored at the UL Alumni Association Spring Gala.
Nancy was deeply rooted in her Catholic faith and was a devoted friend and supporter of Fr. Joseph Brennan, now deceased. Nancy was a long-term parishioner of St. Mary Mother of the Church of Lafayette. She found great comfort in her faith, and it remained a guiding force throughout her life.
Later in life, Nancy and Jim married while both were preparing for retirement. They found shared joy in travel and a life enriched by time spent near the beach and lake. In retirement, Nancy cherished nothing more than being with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A tradition close to her heart was taking each grandchild on a special trip of their choice after their high school graduation - a gift of love and adventure they will always treasure.
Nancy’s life was marked by determination, grace, and generosity. She was a beloved mother, mentor, role model, leader and friend.Her legacy will continue to inspire and uplift the community she helped shape.
The family will receive visitors at Martin & Castille Funeral Home on St. Landry St. on Sunday, July 6th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and again on Monday, July 7th from 8:00 AM to 9:45 AM.
A Rosary will be prayed Sunday at 7:30 PM in the funeral home.
The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Rosa Cormier and Hazel Gobert, and to all other caregivers whose loving presence brought Nancy peace and comfort.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Carmelite Monastery, 1250 Carmel Dr., Lafayette, LA 70501 or St. Mary Church for Pro Life, 419 Doucet Road, Lafayette, LA70503 in Nancy’s memory.
View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com.
Martin & Castille Funeral Home - DOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70506, 337-234-2311
