Ms. Anite Hebert Gaudet … a native and lifelong resident of Bayou Pigeon.
gained her angel wings … Feb. 16, 2021.
Here are some things about Ms. Anite Hebert Gaudet from our Bayou Pigeon book library.
Hebert is an Old Acadian name. Most Heberts in North America are descendants of two Acadian Hebert brothers who came to the New World in the mid-17th century. Today, it is one of the most populous groups of people with Acadian surnames.
Though you will find Heberts around the world, the greatest numbers, thousands in fact, can be found in Louisiana.
Evariste and Margurite Hebert from Pierre Part had 9 children. Of the nine, five made their way to Bayou Pigeon.
Emile Joseph Hebert, the eighth of nine children of Evariste Joseph Hebert, was born 01 Jan 1893 in Paincourtville, LA, and died 17 Feb 1967 in Plaquemine, LA. He married Onesie Hue, daughter of Emile Hue and Odilia Templet of Pierre Part, Louisiana. She was born 1904 in Pierre Part, LA.
Emile and Onesie moved to Bayou Pigeon sometime before 1920. Emile moved next door to his brother Ernest, north of the confluence of Little Pigeon Bayou and Grand River.
In the 1930 US census, Emile listed his principal occupation as moss picker.
In the early 1900’s practically all the men picked moss at one time or another during the off seasons for fishing and trapping. At that time, there was demand for Spanish moss to supply the numerous moss gins located through out south Louisiana. Moss picking was a steady way to make a living and moss was plentiful.
Onesie, Nellie (Na-lee) and Mr. Emile Hebert
Anite second from left was the fourth of 5 childtren.
Mr Ed Gaudet & Ms Anite Hebert Wedding 1952
Anite married Mr. Ed Gaudet of Bayou Pigeon. This wedding has the distinction of being the very first wedding to be celebrated in the Bayou Pigeon Mission Church, known at the time as Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Chapel.
Fr. George Barbier, who was the associate pastor in Plaquemine, Louisiana, was the priest who married Ed and Anite in Bayou Pigeon.
Anite said they did not have a formal wedding reception but that her parents did cook a big meal for entire wedding party.
The Gaudet Barroom, Dancehall And Grocery Stor
Gaudet Barroom Dance Hall - c 1957
Paved Road 1958
Gaudet Bar, Dancehall and Grocery c 1960's
The business was part of Anite’s life. She had to blend helping run a business and raising her family in the same building.
When The Original Gaudet Grocery, Bar And Dancehall was demolished to pave Hwy. 75 , the store and a new barroom and dancehall were moved to the east side of the road.
Ed and Anite lived in a small house between the store and Wallace Gaudet’s house.
In 1964 they converted dance hall to living quarters and a grocery store.
Then in 1975 they closed the store and remodeled the living quarters to what it is today.
The old bathroom in the dance hall with all the graffiti writing on the wall stayed for a while, until it was removed in the 1990’s.
Glenda Gaudet Barlow says she wishes they would have taken pictures of it. It was so unique, it was written history of the people who came to the dancehall. The Richard Brothers band was extremely popular and packed the people in.
Glenda, says at the time the graffiti was removed her mom evidently didn’t feel the history and heritage of Cajun Bayou Pigeon.
30 + years later we recognize that we have almost lost the Cajun French language and we do not want to lose the history of Gaudet Store, Bar and Dancehall it is a part of the fabric of Bayou Pigeon.
Closing In On Another ‘End Of Era’ …
Except for Ms Anise, all of the other children of Emile and Onesie Hebert are now passed.
That leaves Anise as one of handful of people of Bayou Pigeon where Cajun French was the first language in the home growing up.
She leaves behind six grandchildren, Bruce, Brad, and Amy, Steven, Michelle, and Brenton and Nine great grandchildren… Lauren, Ryan, Andrew, Brayden, Lilly, Corinne, Chandler, Graham and Brantly.
Ed and Anite enjoyed playing bingo in their retirement years. Diane and I would see them at the St. John Fathers Club bingo when we worked it on Tuesday nights. They kept us up to date on all the people who attended the bingo and what they were talking about.
Anite kept her close ties with the Gaudet family after Ed passed away. She was a welcome everyday visitor to Diane’s mom, for many years.
Extended Gaudet Family
Children, in laws, what ever… Cajun families stay close to other
Anite attended the Rosary every Tuesday at Bayou Pigeon Heritage hall shrine room to Our Lady Queen Of Peace.
Anite will be remembered as a devoted daughter, dependable sister, beloved wife, loving mother and proud grandmother.
R I P - Anite … Diane and I are forever grateful for the time you spent with her mother in the last years of her life.
