LAFAYETTE, La. — Last Friday, the City of Lafayette lost a true legend.
Deanna Bostick died peacefully at home on November 24. According to her family, she passed away due to declining health.
Deanna "Ma Dee" Bostick was the founder of the Louisiana Youth Soccer Association.
In 1981, Bostick decided that her whole family would play soccer. Living on the Northside of Lafayette made soccer inaccessible, so she decided she would be a part of making it accessible. That, of course, set her on a path that would bring her pride and joy and make Lafayette a hub for soccer in Louisiana, her family says.
She founded the Lafayette Youth Soccer Association (LYSA) and ran it out of her home for many years without pay. Pam Bostick, Deanna's daughter, witnessed her countless times pulling parents aside who couldn't pay registration fees, signing them up, walking them to her stash of donated, extra, and outgrown equipment, and outfitting their children.
Her goal was for every child in town to have the opportunity to play and feel special. Pam states that several times in her life, former players have seen her mother around town and come up to her, hugging her - often in tears - and telling her, "You made my childhood better."
You can read Deanna Bostick's full obituary below:
DEANNA “Ma Dee” BOSTICK
August 21,1945–November 24, 2023
Our mom passed away the day after Thanksgiving last week at home. It was unexpected inasmuch as none of us actually believed she would ever succumb to her grossly deteriorated health. She was resilient to the end, and we feel blessed she passed at home, peacefully and quickly. Here is just a little bit about Ma Dee.
In 1981, our mom decided we would all play soccer. Living on the Northside of Lafayette, soccer was inaccessible to us. So our mom decided she would get involved and make it accessible. This, of course, put our mom on a path that would bring her pride and happiness and make Lafayette a hub of soccer in Louisiana. When I tell you she never did any of it for money or personal accolades, I speak truthfully. Our mom started Lafayette Youth Soccer Association (LYSA) and ran it without pay out of our home for many years. I saw her, countless times, pull aside parents who couldn’t pay registration fees; sign them up; walk them to her stash of donated, extra, and outgrown gear; and outfit their children. She wanted every kid in town to be able to play and feel special. Many times in her life, grown previous players would see her in town and walk up to her and hug her—often with tears in their eyes—and tell her, “You made my childhood better.” I know she did that for so many. I am proud of her because of it.
We grew up immersed in it. Our mom’s giant brown van was always filled with sweaty, smelly soccer gear; park snacks; players lounging on the eight bean bag chairs we threw in the van in lieu of seats, floating from town to town to play; and, on one notable trip, lost in Dallas without a map, Dee yelling. Dee was always yelling. Everyone knew it was just how she operated. Our home was always filled with extra kids, fundraiser snacks we ate when we were supposed to sell them, and laundry piled up because there wasn’t time to worry about that. It is possible our teen years were poorly supervised and, I’ll admit, a lot of fun because our mom was so devoted to developing soccer in Lafayette. She would laugh and let our Dad dole out the would be punishments. She married the right man who let her pursue this path. But we all knew she was married to soccer as much as to our Dad. You need a field? Call Dee. You need lights on Thursday night? Call Dee. Community service hours? Soccer info of any kind? Yep—call Dee. It was literally a lifetime of this, and she loved it. Perhaps the only thing she loved more was watching all of her grandkids show up and start playing as well.
Dee Bostick, or as everyone knew her, Ma Dee, brought happiness to not only her family, but also to so many people in our town through soccer and the relationships she forged in that role. There are too many people to mention, so forgive me that I am unable to list them here. But please know our mom loved so many of you in Lafayette and spoke always with a story, a joke, or some gossip even about the countless people she knew and loved. She lived on the Northside of town until her death and remained Northside proud to the end. Next time you’re out at Moore Park, say a prayer for Dee.
She will be missed.
