Gary Evan Guillot, Sr. was 83 years young when he suddenly passed away at his home in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana from natural causes on Thursday, June 10, 2021. Gary was born in Echo, Louisiana on April 22, 1938 to Amelia (Portorie) and Cyriaque Guillot. As a boy, he attended Presentation Catholic School until the 8th grade. In 9th grade, he thought of becoming a Priest and attended Mary Hill Seminary. He soon realized a life of celibacy was NOT for him and transferred to Marksville High School the following year, where he would graduate in 1956. During his summer vacations, he would work alongside his dad and uncles cutting and logging trees for their family business. In 1953, at age 15 and still in high school, Gary lied about his age and enlisted in the Louisiana Army National Guard and Reserve – 156th Infantry division of Marksville, Louisiana. During his first 6 years of service, he was a Corporal during active duty at Fort Benning, Georgia, Sergeant during active duty at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Specialist 3rd Class Staff Sergeant as an Instrument Operator within the Heavy Mortar Division. He reenlisted for 2 more years in 1959 with the 108 3d Trans. Division where he was commander of the Marksville Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol Squadron at the England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana and was Honorably discharged in 1961. During those years of non-active duty, Gary worked in Alexandria for the LA Dept of Highways in the testing lab. Gary’s continued interest in airplanes led him to obtain his private pilot’s license and managed to buy a small 1947 Piper Cub airplane. He LOVED to fly and enjoyed taking his friends, buddies, and family on fishing trips, hunting trips, and vacations. Gary found any excuse he could to take to the air. There are numerous stories about Gary and his plane; however one story stands out from the rest. It was when he and his buddies were on a hunting trip and they couldn’t retrieve their kill back to the camp. Nothing would stop Gary; he got in his plane, landed on the narrow levee, sat the dead deer in the passenger seat as his “co-pilot”, and took off toward the camp. It's stories like these that let you know Gary would do the IMPOSSIBLE (or as much as he could) to help someone, especially friends & family, who were in need. Throughout the 60s, Gary worked for KEVL Radio Station, located in Plaquemine, Louisiana as a French Language News Commentator and served in the Louisiana State Legislature (Baton Rouge) as an Assistant Sergeant of Arms. During the early 70s, he started his career with the Louisiana Department of Labor holding the positions of Operations Analyst, Investigator, and Chief Investigator. In 1975, Gary left the State Department and started farming. Rocking Double G Farms planted and harvested wheat and soybeans in and around the rural Baton Rouge area. A few years later, while continuing to farm, Gary began a chemical manufacturing company, Enviro-Chem, which produced industrial soap cleaner. Even though he poured his heart and soul into these two businesses, in 1980 Gary went back to work for the Louisiana Department of Labor where he would eventually retire as a Specialist, training new investigators. Starting in 1988, Gary coordinated an annual “Leon Guillot, Sr” reunion held in Tioga, Louisiana. It was an accomplishment he held dear to his heart because family from across the state would come together on Memorial Day weekend to reminisce about the “good ole days”, speak French to one another, cook, swim, play a softball game, and just be FAMILY. Once Gary retired, he continued his passions and hobbies of cooking, hunting, fishing, wood-working, gardening, and bullet making. He enjoyed entertaining and spending time with his friends from The Council on Aging, especially when he was crowned Mardi Gras King! During the course of Gary’s life, he was a member of the International Association of Personnel in Employment Systems, a 3rd Degree Mason of the Central Lodge 442, a 32nd Degree Mason of the York Rite Knight Templar, a 32nd Degree Mason of the Scottish Rite, PTA President of Starkey Academy 1986-1987, a member of The American Legion, a twice Certified Reloader, and a member of numerous hunting clubs in and around Louisiana and Mississippi. Gary is preceded in death by his parents, Cyriaque and Amelia Guillot; his sister, Mary Alice Weston; and son, Kurt Patrick Guillot. He is survived by his brother, Dale Guillot; children and their spouses, Pamela G. Graves (Albert), Gary E. Guillot Jr. (Angel), Tonya G. Watts (Ryland), Shelly G. Nocentelli (Clark); daughter-in-law, Paula Guillot; grandchildren, Laura Graves, Erin Schell, Nigel Guillot, Devin Dunaway, Hillary Deville, Krystal Guillot, Myles Johnson, Grant Johnson, Brendon Cothell, Breanna Cothell, Brett Cothell; great-grandchildren, Aralyn Guillot, Logan Schell, Olivia Schell, Aria Deville, Annabeth Deville, Walter Dunaway, and Baby Dunaway. Pallbearers are Dale Guillot, Albert Graves, Ryland Watts, Nicolas Ohrt, Myles Johnson, and Grant Johnson. Visitation will be on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at Rabenhorst East Funeral Home, 11000 Florida Blvd., from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. A graveside service will be on Friday at St. Joseph Cemetery #2 in Marksville, LA at 12:00 noon.
