Marilyn Regina Goudeau Guidry
Published 2:01 pm Friday, September 24, 2021
- Marilyn Regina Goudeau Guidry
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Marilyn Regina Goudeau Guidry, surrounded by her loving family, went home to Jesus on Thursday, September 23, 2021 at age 84.
She was a lifelong resident of Port Arthur, Texas until relocating to Baytown, in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey. Marilyn was the youngest of five siblings born to Warrington Bernard, Sr. and Ethel Lacour Goudeau on January 11, 1937.
In her lifetime, she received the sacraments from Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Highlights of her childhood were: making frequent trips back home to her grandparents in Goudeau, Louisiana; being a godmother to many; working in her parent’s store, Goudeau’s Grocery; making lifelong friends; crowning the Blessed Mother as Sacred Heart’s May Queen; and graduating valedictorian from Sacred Heart High School in 1955.
In that same year, she was named the winner of a national competition for Betty Crocker’s “Homemaker of Tomorrow.”
Following high school, she attended Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She returned to Port Arthur, married, and shifted her focus to raising her family in the parish community of St. John the Evangelist.
In her faith community, she was a pillar – a eucharistic minister of holy communion, widely known for compassion, charity and beautiful singing.
She delivered the love of Christ through her works and deeds.
She continued her stewardship and service to St. John’s parish community for over 60 years.
In the mid-1970’s, she continued her higher education, receiving an Associate Degree in Cosmetology from Lamar University.
Initially, she worked as a licensed aesthetician at Ed’s Syndi-cut while maintaining and building her own personal cosmetology clientele.
Working fulltime and raising a family of 6 children, she advanced her career and obtained a state cosmetology instructor license from Prairie View A&M University.
She taught cosmetology at Lamar University for many years. Eventually, she realized her own dream and opened her own beauty salon, Marilyn’s Scientific Hair Care. Marilyn believed in healthy hair and even received a call from Oprah’s hairdresser, Andre, who wanted some of her expert advice!
Patrons loved coming to Marilyn’s beauty shop. In addition to enhancing their external beauty, she helped to improve their internal beauty through faith, prayer, encouragement, coaching, reflection, kindness, and unconditional love.
She created unforgettable hairstyles and happy hearts for over 30 years – all the while, supporting 6 children through college.
After retirement, she achieved another dream by authoring a popular heritage cookbook, “Best of Everything: Mama’s Creole Kitchen.”
She often used the proceeds from her cookbook to raise money for other worthy causes.
Marilyn was widely recognized and accomplished. She received many honors and awards including being named the Grand Family Reunion Matriarch (2011), St. Augustine Historical Society Senior Treasure (2013), and Creole Cultural Preservationist (2014).
As a devout Catholic, one of the highlights of her life was a pilgrimage to Rome with her son Mark where they received an unexpected blessing and an encounter with the now, Saint John Paul II.
Marilyn was a dedicated wife, mother, sister, prayer warrior and friend. SHE LOVED FAMILY. She always had a warm smile, a listening ear, open arms to all, prayers of encouragement and/or wise advice on any topic (especially faith, beauty, hair and skin!).
Her greatest joy and pride came from her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
From her union with Raymond W. Guidry, she was blessed with seven children: Raymond Bernard Guidry (deceased), Whitney Kevin Guidry (deceased), Harlan Mark Guidry, Sarah Regina Guidry (Sandra), Dawn Linnet Maria Guidry Carmouche, Hope Guidry-Groves (Darrell), and Kory Renard Guidry.
As a grandmother and great-grandmother, she was lovingly known as “Grandmother”, “Grannie Dear”, “Granny”, “MaMA”, & “Mamou”. Her grandchildren are: Whitney Dayne Groves, Marilyn Groves Moreno (Carlos), Alyssa Danielle Groves, Lilly Rosa Guidry, Lynette Regina Guidry, Nola Regina Ethel Carmouche, Kevin Arthur Guidry, Immanuel Lance Rainard Carmouche, Leighanne Rhea Guidry, Seth Alphonse Hamilton Carmouche, and Ethel Marie Goudeau Guidry.
She was blessed to hug, kiss and love three great grandchildren: Carlos Gideon Moreno, Elias Trajan Moreno and Malaki Rodriguez.
She leaves behind one living and beloved sister, Sister Doris Goudeaux, SSF, who remained with her during her last days, holding her hand as she transitioned into an eternal peace.
Woven into the love of her family was her love of cooking. Family traditions and gatherings were built around her legendary culinary skills and amazing creations, which she passed down to her children. She welcomed many to her kitchen, and to the experience of her hospitality.
A host of family friends and colleagues were invited to the table of Mama Guidry’s great cooking! No one ever left her home without a full stomach, happy heart, and a little lagniappe to go.
She went on to endure a dramatic change in her life in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey on August 30, 2017, which displaced her to Baytown, Texas, and ended an era of beloved life in Port Arthur.
Typical of Mama Marilyn, she eventually turned lemons into lemonade but never stopped missing her cherished Port Arthur community.
While she continued to cherish Port Arthur, she served other communities as well. She was also an active member of the St. Augustine Historical Society and a Friend of the Venerable Henriette Delille, to whom she prayed daily.
In her last years, she was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Mont Belvieu, Texas. During the peak of the pandemic, she was an active participant in the St. Augustine Corona Prayer group supporting isolated seniors in several states. Near and far, those blessed to cross her path were empowered and renewed.
Funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at St. James Catholic Church, 3617 Gulfway Dr., Port Arthur, TX.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow in Live Oak Cemetery.
