Dorethea "Doe" DeRouen Gaudet

Dorethea “Doe” DeRouen Gaudet, 84, passed away peacefully at home in Biloxi, MS on Thursday, September 26, 2024, surrounded by her loving family after a long illness. Her passing was a few days before her 85th birthday. 

Born October 6, 1939 in Crowley, LA to Arthur Gordon DeRouen and Catherine Belton DeRouen, her parents moved to New Iberia, LA when Doe was a young girl. She attended New Iberia High School and graduated with the class of 1957. Upon graduation, she attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA and then the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, LA, wherein she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Education in January 1961. While in college, Doe was a member of Delta Zeta Sorority. Upon graduation, Doe moved to Washington, DC where she worked in the Pentagon’s US Army Nuclear Armaments Division with her uncle, Colonel William Bromley. Later, she returned to New Iberia and taught high school in St. Martinville, LA and New Iberia. 

During college, Doe met the love of her life, Elmer, in 1960 at a wedding party in New Iberia and they began dating. Doe married Dr. Elmer Lawrence Gaudet, Jr. on July 14, 1963 in New Iberia. They began their married life living in Fairfield, CA, where Elmer fulfilled his military service at Travis Air Force Base. Doe taught high school while in California. Once Elmer was discharged from the military, they relocated to Teaneck, NJ for Elmer to continue his orthodontic education before settling in Natchez, MS, where they lived for many years. While in Natchez, Doe resumed teaching high school for several years. In later years, they moved to Biloxi to be with family. 

Doe was a member of many organizations in Natchez and Biloxi. She took great pride in being a 50 year member of the Natchez Garden Club and a Charter Member of the William Dunbar Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Natchez, serving as a member for 58 years. She was also an associate member of the Biloxi Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She cherished the many friendships that DAR provided, and always looked forward to her monthly DAR lunch meetings. Doe was a Century Member of the National Society of Colonial Dames XVII, a member of the National Society Magna Charta Dames, and a proven descendant of Charlemagne, who was more commonly known as “Charles the Great.” 

Besides her passion of researching her family’s lineage, Doe enjoyed traveling extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, where she was fortunate enough to experience the many differing cultures. She loved the Arts, which included attending the symphony, opera, and Broadway plays. She loved learning about horticulture and loved growing irises. However, her biggest passion was being a devoted grandmother to her two grandchildren, both of whom brought her much pride and joy. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur Gordon DeRouen and Catherine Belton DeRouen; her father and mother-in-law, Dr. Elmer Lawrence Gaudet, Sr. and Dorothy Kloppenburg Gaudet.

Doe is survived by her husband of 61 years, Dr. Elmer Lawrence Gaudet, Jr.; her daughter, Catherine Gaudet Sliman (Richard) of Gulfport, MS; her grandson, Richard Spencer Sliman of Jackson, MS; and her granddaughter, Mary Catherine Sliman of Gulfport. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, Dr. Edward Leon Gaudet (Mary Jane) of Natchez; a sister-in-law, Dorothy Gaudet Rainer of Natchez; and three nieces and a nephew. 

Visitation for family and friends will be on Friday, October 11, 2024, from 12:30-1:30pm at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home on Pass Road in Biloxi, MS. The funeral service will begin at 1:30pm with interment afterwards at Biloxi National Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the American Heart Association or the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation in the memory of Dorethea Gaudet.

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Dorethea “Doe” DeRouen Gaudet.