Doris LeBlanc Gaudin

Following a lengthy illness, Doris Gaudin passed away on October 18, 2016. Her daughter, Jeanette Yerger, was a devoted caregiver during this entire period. Doris Mae LeBlanc was born in Port Arthur, TX, on November 24, 1924. Her father, John “Gus” Leblanc and wife, Georgia, had moved there from Port Barre, LA so he could work in the oil and shipbuilding industries. Her one sibling, an older sister, Hazel, is since deceased. They grew up in Vivian, LA. Doris was baptized into the Roman Catholic Church in 1942 while attending college in Natchitoches and remained a very devout Christian for the remainder of her life. She and her husband, O’Neil B. Gaudin, Jr., were members of Cedar Grove’s former St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church. Doris later moved to St. Joseph’s in the Broadmoor neighborhood.

Allowed to skip over to the second grade, she excelled in school and later ttended college in Natchitoches. Few women attended college during the War years. While there Doris served on the staff of the college’s newspaper and deepened her lifelong interest in Louisiana history. She participated in various charity events, including rolling bandages for the Red Cross. Mrs. Gaudin always spoke fondly of her ࢢme spent there. She graduated in August of 1944 from Northwestern Normal, which that December was renamed Northwestern State.

She worked for a natural gas transmission firm in downtown Shreveport, taught at St. Vincent’s Academy and at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau. There, she met her husband to be, O’Neil B. Gaudin, Jr., through his sister, another instructor. She earned her Master’s from LSU in Baton Rouge in 1949. Her thesis was on the early history of the oil industry in Northwestern Louisiana.

Immediately following her graduation from LSU, she married O’Neil, of Shreveport, at the LSU Chapel on August 13, 1949. With the beginning of the Korean Conflict, O’Neil re-enlisted in the Navy and they relocated to Chincoteague Island, near his station in Norfolk, VA. Once he was mustered out, O’Neil went to Ruston, LA where he resumed and completed his degree in Forestry from LA Tech. He then accepted a positon in Winnfield, where they lived for many years. Although she had given up a career to become a devoted wife and loving mother, Doris taught at Winnfield public and private schools during several ࢢme periods. For work related reasons, they later lived in The Woodlands, TX and finally settled in Shreveport. Once her children were grown, she obtained employment at a fabric store and gained additional cherished friends. Doris enjoyed reading mystery stories, working crosswords, following current events, watching BBC comedies and dramas and especially visiting with friends and relatives.

O’Neil passed away in 2002. Mrs. Gaudin is survived by her children: John B. Gaudin, Marie Jeannette Yerger and Paul V. Gaudin. She loved her ever-expanding family of grandchildren, great-children, nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Friday, October 21, 2016 at 1 PM. Father Mark Franklin will be the officiant. The family will receive guests on Thursday, October 20, 2016 from 5PM to 7Pm at the Funeral Home.

Serving as pallbearers for Friday’s service are Kevin Yerger, Beaux Yerger, Andy Yerger, Randy Greer, Aaron Suckle and Lawrence Fox.