Terrebonne Genealogical Society

TGS Newsletter
Vol. 18 No. 8 October 1999

Visit our home page at http://www.rootsweb.com/~laterreb/tgs.htm

Newsletter Editor Ed Hicks, 5306 Hwy.. 1, Raceland, LA 70394-2033
E-mail: edgarhicks@worldnet.att.net                 Phone: (504) 532-3586

Membership and/or address changes:
Please send by mail to TGS, Station 2 Box 295, Houma, LA 70360-0295



NEXT MEETING Saturday, October 30, 1999
North Branch Library, Gray, LA 1:00 p.m.
 There is a story making the rounds that one could hear every word the guest speaker, Preston Guillotte, uttered in his multimedia presentation at the September meeting. It was that quiet. The story goes on to say that he could tell we were interested, and offered to come back after he re-visited the territory and up-dated his material. I, for one, can't wait. You see, I missed the meeting last month. Did you miss it, too? Watch this newsletter for announcements. At the October meeting we will hear Ronald Paul Richoux, Sr. (Ronnie ReShoe) tell us about his book Re-Shoe on the Bayou. Be sure not to miss him. Damon Veach gave him an excellent write-up in the Times-Picayune for August 15, 1999.
BIRTHS
Our members Harold Joseph and Elaine Tregre Terracina wish to announce the birth of their fourth grandchild, Nicolas Vincent Terracina, on September 24  1999 at 7:28 a.m. He is the son of Dwayne Paul and Nelwyn Ann Benoit Terracina of Spring, TX. Nicolas weighed 8 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 ¾ inches long. Welcoming him home were sister Angelle Marie and brother André Clifton. Maternal grandparents are Carlton and Isabelle Zeringue Benoit of Hahnville, LA.
Ed and Gloria Gravois Hicks happily  announce the adoption of their tenth grandchild in Nanning, China, this month. She is the first child of John Gregory and Carol Bingham Hicks of Baton Rouge and will be given the name of Yvette An Jian Hicks. Through the miracle of digital photography, Gloria and Ed have pictures of their newest granddaughter. Yvette was born 16 November 1998 in Nanning, close to the border between China and Viet Nam. She will arrive in Louisiana 27 October 1999, welcomed by numerous cousins, aunts and uncles.
DEATHS
 We sadly note the passing of William Harold Ditto, beloved husband of member Tanya Brady Ditto of Sumrall, MS. He died 31 August 1999 in Collins, MS. He is survived by his son Steven and his wife Betsy of Houston, TX; daughter Diana and her husband Vincent Toups of Gulf Breeze, FL; and daughter Susan and her husband Ted Ownby; a sister, Stella D. Caracci of Baton Rouge; a brother, Mullin Ditto of Jackson, LA; one adopted sister, Ann "Sug" Miller of Indianapolis, IN; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Willie Francis Ditto and Etta Mae Newman; brother Jessie and sisters Mary Ditto, Elizabeth Sharp and Selma Morris. Bill Ditto served his country and attended L.S.U. with the help of the G.I. Bill. As a young man he worked in aviation electronics - including work on the then top secret U-2 aircraft. He was part owner of Lafourche Telephone Co. and served as its Executive Vice President until his retirement.
We were also saddened to hear about the death of I.Terry Bean, husband of member Mary Cenac Bean of DeSoto, MO. He is also survived by two daughters; Carol B. Daake of St. Louis, and Cheryl B. Mudd of Webster Groves; a son, Terry Bean of Dittmer, a brother, Gerald Bean of Mt. Vernon; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Stewart Bean and Lula (Huston) Bean Stoye. Mr. Bean had been a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force. He retired after 21 years of active military duty, including service in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Our sympathies go out to longtime member Alice Roddy Lirette of Houma, who lost her mother, Ociana Virginie Laperouse Roddy, 19 September 1999. She lived to be 96 years "young." Alice is her sole survivor. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest Joseph Laperouse, Sr., and Celestine Robichaux; her husband George Loveless Roddy; a daughter, Della Ann Roddy; and a granddaughter, Nicole Ann Lirette. Her only half-sister died 8 September 1999, just 11 days before Mrs. Roddy.
Longtime active member Larue Smith LeBlanc of Shriever, LA, lost both a brother and a nephew this past month. We love you, Larue. Please be assured of our prayers and our sympathy. Her brother, Woody Knighten Smith of Baton Rouge, LA, died Saturday, 2 October 1999. He is survived by another sister, Marie Smith Futch of Spearsville, LA; sisters-in-law Mrs. George (Kathy) Comeaux and Gertrude Comeaux, both of Baton Rouge, Isabel Dias Smith of Schriever and Hazel Caulk Smith of Spearsville; and numerous nieces and nephews from the Spearsville and Schriever areas. Mr. Smith attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello and L.S.U. He was preceded in death by his wife, Evlyn Comeaux Smith; parents, Armon and Rosa Lee Ogden Smith; and brothers Harmon Loy, Robert Minor and Curtis Armon Smith.
Larue's nephew, Daniel Samanie, of Schriever, LA, died 7 October 1999. He was the husband of Doris Ordoyne Samanie; son of Joyce LeBlanc Samanie; father of Lyn O. And Danielle Marie Samanie; and brother of Bruce L., Jr., Dean P., Sr., and Sherry Samanie, Judy S. Lirette and Pam S. Webre. He is also survived by three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Bruce Leon Samanie, Sr. Daniel was an employee of J. Ray McDermott, Inc. for 23 years, and a parishioner of St. Bridget Catholic Church in Schriever.
ACTIVE MEMBERS
Can you believe it? These super people put the Fall quarterly together in one hour and 45 minutes! To top it off, the air conditioner was out! Could that be the reason they hurried up? Not much talking, I bet. We all owe you our deep appreciation for a job well done. You know who you are, but for the rest of us, here is the list: Dot Smith, Phil Chauvin, Jess Bergeron, Norris Dupré, Eddie Henry, Marcie and Essie Cavalier, Beverly Alford, Nancy Wright, James Avet, Dan Guidry, Godfrey Olivier, Cecile Richard, Jacquie Chaisson, Ray Chaisson, and Mr. & Mrs. Brice Bernard. We guarantee that the next time the A/C will be working.
NEW BOOK
Our new book, History of Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church and Cemetery Inscriptions, Donaldsonville (Ascension Parish), Louisiana will be available for pickup at our October meeting. I'm sure there will be a good turnout for that reason, if nothing else. See you there!
CELEBRATION
A Port Royal 400th Anniversary Society has been formed to organize the celebration of the anniversary of the founding of Port Royal in 1605. Their goal is to coordinate activities and events that will take place throughout 2005 in old Acadia (the Acadian Shore, South Shore, New Brunswick, Maine and the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia). The event will follow on the heels of the next Congrès Mondial Acadiennes, scheduled for Nova Scotia in 2004. If you want to get involved, or just want some information, contact the Society office at (902) 532-2526, or by e-mail at port.royal@tartannet.ns.ca This information came from http://www.acadian.org/tidbits.html
TRANSLATION, ANYONE?
Do you want your document, e-mail or Web site translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese for free? They will also translate the first three languages into English. Try it and let us know how well it works. http://www.freetranslation.com

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