Harding Joseph Guilbeaux

Harding Joseph Guilbeaux, 92, passed away Thursday, September 14, 2017. He was born on December 17, 1924, in Port Arthur, Texas to Marie Carrier Guilbeaux and Savan Joseph Guilbeaux. He fell in love and married his high school sweetheart, Rose Lois Zummo in 1946 and was happily married for sixty-two years.

Hardy served honorably as a Staff Sergeant with the United States Marine Corp during World War II where he saw action in the Solomon and Philippine Islands. He worked at Gulf Oil Refinery for thirty-six years where he was a Carpenter Foreman. He was a devoted husband and father to his twin daughters, Sharron and Karen and his son, Rohn. He mostly enjoyed spending time with his family, hunting, fishing, and doing carpentry work. He enjoyed growing roses and fruit trees and looked forward to daily workouts with his friends at the YMCA. Hardy was a faithful member of St. James Catholic Church and was a member of Sertoma Club.

He will be deeply missed by his twin daughters, Sharron Ann Knott of Toledo Bend and Karen Ann Kaiser of Port Acres; son, Rohn Joseph Guilbeaux and his wife, Kathy, of Lumberton; grandchildren, Christy Smith and her husband, Jeff; Jamie Reddell and her husband, Wade; Heather Kaiser; Jeanie Johnson and her husband, Chad; and Dustin Guilbeaux; great-grandchildren, Blake and Brook Smith; Jordan and Samantha Kaiser; Preston, Alexis, and Carson Johnson; and Karli and Kinley Reddell.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Rose Louise Zummo; parents, Marie and Savan Guilbeaux; brother, Leroy Guilbeaux; grandson, James Michael Kaiser; and son-in-laws, Russell Knott and James Kaiser.

A gathering of Mr. Guilbeaux’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 21, 2017, at St. James Catholic Church, 3617 Gulfway Drive, Port Arthur, with his interment to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park, Groves.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the volunteers and rescuers of Hurricane Harvey that helped him evacuate and transport him to a hospital in Beaumont. The family would also like to extend their appreciation to all the nurses, speech pathologist, Kathy, Respiratory, Pat and Michelle, Dr. Kahn, and Dr. Bahall at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Taylor, Texas. All mentioned from volunteers, rescuers, and hospital staff, worked tirelessly with compassion and took care of him with such emotion and respect. Also, to Kindred Hospice who checked with the family every day on his wellbeing and ours, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.