James "Jim" Gueydan

James “Jim” Edmond Gueydan, 98, died at Houma, LA Saturday March 14, 2015 due to natural causes. James was born in Detroit, MI September 6, 1916 to Margaret Mary Riordan Gueydan and Robert Leonce Gueydan. James also resided in Chicago, New Orleans, and Houma. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Chauvin Funeral Home, Inc., and Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral from 8:00 am until service time. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral with burial to follow at St. Francis No 2 Cemetery. Jim attended Loyola University, University of Minnesota and has an MBA with Distinction, Harvard Business School and was President of the Century Club. In 1941, he volunteered for the Army Air Corps and served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. In addition to his posts within the U.S., he served in the Philippines, Japan, Morocco and Vietnam. He was a Production Project Officer at the Pentagon and was Base Commander at Little Rock Air Force Base and Base Commander in Nha Trang , Vietnam. Within 13 months he flew 165 missions. Upon retiring as Colonel in 1968, he grew a very successful career in the financial industry. Jim volunteered and contributed philanthropically to Nicholls State University, Mount Saint Mary’s Academy in Little Rock, Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence in Public Education, Boy Scouts of America, YMCA, Terrebonne Arts, Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society, United Way, Houma Terrebonne Public Trust Financing Authority, Terrebonne Houma Chamber of Commerce and Houma Rotary Club. For 98 years, Jim or “Grampy” did so much for so many. While his accomplishments and achievements read like that of 6 highly successful people, it is his generosity, his integrity, his CLASS, his compassion, his love and kindness that he will be forever remembered. He lived with a servant heart, from God, to Country to his friends and family. Surviving Jim is his wife of 14 years Grace Eleanor Dowden Monk of Thibodaux and daughters, Sandra Ann Gueydan Hickey of Little Rock, AR, Pamela Jeanne Gueydan Moll of Kenner, LA, Charlotte Dee Monk Smith of Thibodaux and Monica Gayle Monk of Bayou Blue. He leaves 8 grandchildren: Theresa Hickey Adcock of Savannah, GA, Catherine Ann Hickey Cole of Little Rock, AR, Alice Hickey Cruse of Little Rock, Paul James Hickey of Benton, AR, Joseph M Moll, IV of Geismer, LA, Michelle Elizabeth Moll of Kenner, LA, Charles David Smith of Thibodaux and Katherine Grace Smith of Thibodaux and 12 great- grandchildren. James is preceded in death by his parents Margaret Mary Riordan Gueydan and Robert Leonce Gueydan, his late wife Mary Venette McManus of 57 years and older brother Robert Leonce Gueydan, Jr. of St. Paul, MN and sister Peggy Gueydan Carlson of Auburn, CA. In Lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Nichols State University Foundation,P.O. Box 2066, Thibodaux, Louisiana 70310 or to the Wounded Warriors Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675.