Gerald Glynn D'Armond

Gerald Glynn D’Armond, our “Legend”, passed away very unexpectedly on Thursday, April 13, at Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge just short of his 86th birthday. He was born on April 24, 1937, to Maple & Ruth Spears D’Armond and was a lifetime resident of Baton Rouge and grew up on Walnut Street. He is survived by his devoted wife of 56 years, Joy Hotard D’Armond, his loving daughters, Donna Labbé and Michelle Tiede who thought he hung the moon, and his beloved grandchildren, Austin (Gabrielle) & Matthew Labbé and Shelby Joy & Griffin Tiede (girlfriend Cassidy Moore), for whom he WAS the moon. Also survived by his admiring sons-in-law, Duane Labbé and David Tiede, who he knew would take care of his family. Additionally, he leaves behind a host of other family and lifetime friends, especially Bill Humphreys and Wayne Heard who he’d known since grade school. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Kenneth & Winston D’Armond. Gerald proudly graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1955 and from LSU in 1962 where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. He served in the US Army and was stationed at Ft. Polk during the Berlin Crisis. He retired from IBM with 30 years of service in administration, all of which was uniquely done in the Baton Rouge branch where he made so many lifetime friends who became family. He was a multiple recipient of the IBM Means Service Award among others and was a mentor to many co-workers. Gerald was also a longtime member of Broadmoor United Methodist Church.

He had a lifetime love of fishing and hunting and some of his favorite times were spent in the woods or in a duck blind with his hunting buddies or a favorite fishing spot in one of his numerous boats pulling in a haul of bream, speckled trout or redfish. He loved to take anyone who wanted to go and then enjoyed frying up his catch for everyone. He developed a love of cooking and especially perfected his “Paw Paw’s Jambalaya” which got better every time he made it. Perhaps his biggest love (before he had grandchildren) was his garden where he spent many hours “relaxing”. He loved sharing his crops, especially his prized tomatoes. He cherished his satsuma tree with bountiful fruit that he generously shared with the masses. He also enjoyed growing his beautiful Christmas cactuses and a variety of hibiscus plants. He took great pleasure in vacationing with his wife, friends and family especially in the Smoky Mountains and Destin, Florida, or anywhere with mountains or water. He absolutely loved nature and the outdoors. He had an immense love of animals, especially dogs including a long line of those who predeceased him. He is survived by his “baby” Abby Jane.

He had a special group of fraternity brothers who remained close over the years and dubbed themselves “The Magnificent 7”. He & Joy took many amazing trips with them and their spouses. Those who passed before him were Ronnie Stephens, John Squires, Tom Ward, Jody Fail & Bill Robinson. Jimmy Gill is the “last man standing”.

A funeral service led by Rev. Tom Cook of BUMC will be at 2pm on Wednesday, April 19, at Greenoaks Funeral Home with visitation beginning at noon. Burial will be in Greenoaks Memorial Park. Memorial Donations can be made to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank or Coastal Conservation Association Louisiana.

Our husband, dad and Paw Paw was a strong, funny, friendly and generally reserved Southern gentleman who never had a bad word to say about anyone (even if he thought it). To us he was larger than life and our beloved patriarch. We will miss him all the rest of our days and find peace and comfort in our abundance of memories and in knowing that we will see him again. “Heroes live forever but LEGENDS never die.”