Gloria Marie Sherman Rougeau

Gloria Rougeau, 97, of Beaumont, died Saturday, March 1, 2025.

Gloria Marie Sherman Rougeau was born in Port Arthur, Texas, to Lucy Bienvenu and Chester Lum Sherman on July 21, 1927. She attended schools in Beaumont and graduated from South Park High School in May 1944. She married Carl Curley Rougeau on November 23, 1944, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Beaumont, Texas.

Gloria was a devoted mother and housewife. At a young age, she began working at her family’s business, C.L. Sherman & Sons Lumber Company, and continued for several years as the office manager. She assisted her brothers to grow the business from a small building to the successful retail lumber yard with the well-known advertising jingle.

Gloria was a founding member of St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, supporting the church during the planning and building phase and attended regularly until her health declined.

She loved Christmas and started planning early each year. Her grandchildren recall marking the Sears Christmas catalog with their “wish list”. She enjoyed the family gathering at her house, while she was ‘Mrs. Clause’ handing out gifts. Thanksgiving was always a double celebration of the holiday and their wedding anniversary. She and Curley were married on Thanksgiving Day in 1944 (which was the only day the family lumber yard was closed for business). Easter time brought yearly Easter dresses for the granddaughters and “solid brick” chocolate eggs in the candy dish.

Gloria and Curley loved the beach and had the opportunity to build a beach cabin in Crystal Beach. They hosted family and friends often. She made many lifelong friends in her Canasta Card Players group. Gloria and her husband took many trips in their camper, especially with longtime friends Mary and Clem Stinebrickner.  Her favorite activities at the Hill Country deer camp included playing Canasta, cooking a full course breakfast. and doing craft projects. She especially liked being there during bluebonnet season.

In her 97 years of being a Mom, Aunt, and ‘Maw Maw’, she attended many ball games, scouting activities, (she served as Boy Scouts Den Mother), dance recitals, First Communions, graduations and weddings. She looked forward to buying Girl Scout cookies during the annual sales and never missed sending a birthday card. If ever there was a family member or person in need, you could always count on her generosity to help.

When her eyesight began failing in her later years, she remained active and adapted by using magnifying tools for reading and attending to mail. She kept up with current news, solved her favorite crossword puzzles, utilized her talking watch, listened to audio books, and sports games on TV. Her close friend, Rose Delco, became her devoted in-home helper, driver, and companion.

Gloria is survived by her sons, Larry Carl Rougeau (Elvina), Mike Rougeau (LaRue), and Kevin Rougeau (Rhonda); grandchildren, Kimberly Rougeau Moore (John), Lisa Rougeau (Joe Winston), Jennifer Rougeau Stokes (Joe), Regina Rougeau, Naomi Rougeau and Carl Rougeau; great-grandchildren, Madison Moore, Madeline Liatris (Braden), Owen Winston, Levi Winston, Annelise Stokes. Gloria was a devoted aunt to many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Curley; brothers, C.L. Sherman, Jr. and Wayne D. Sherman.

The family would like to express a special thank you to Rose Delco and to all of her caregivers at Oakridge Assisted Living in Beaumont.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 6825 Gladys Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77706 or the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, Massachusetts  01061-0515 give online.

A gathering of Mrs. Rougeau’s family and friends will begin 5:00 p.m. with a Rosary recited at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 6, 2025, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 7, 2025, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 6825 Gladys Avenue, Beaumont, with her interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.