DORIS GAUDET HENNAN
1924-2017
Doris Gaudet Hennan, of Pearland, Texas, passed away Friday, May 5, 2017, at the age of 92. Doris was born November 24, 1924, in Westwego, Louisiana, and moved with her parents and siblings to Baton Rouge in 1935 when her father was transferred from the Standard Oil Co. in Avondale to the refinery in Baton Rouge. The Gaudet family settled in the Standard Heights Subdivision in north Baton Rouge. Doris attended Istrouma High School, where she played clarinet in the band, and graduated in 1941.
Doris worked at Standard Oil Co. in Baton Rouge as a typist for several years. She married fellow Istrouma graduate Robert Hennan on December 24, 1947, and moved to Houston in 1952 for Robert’s job with Shell Oil Co. Doris was an active member of St. Augustine Catholic Church, and later St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, where she was a member of the Women’s Club. She was also a member of the Arlington Heights Civic Club for many years. After her children were grown, Doris worked for a time as a Real Estate agent. Doris survived Guillain-Barré syndrome in 1990. She moved to Pearland, Texas, in 1997.
Doris loved to travel, and invited family members or close friends to accompany her. She visited Israel, Hawaii, Ohio, and a few other states with Robert. After Robert’s death in 1988, Doris attended many reunions for the crews of the aircraft carriers he had served on during WWII -- the USS Hoggatt Bay, and the USS Saginaw Bay. These reunions took her to places such as Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Corpus Christi, Kerrville, Branson, St. Louis, Pensacola, Charleston SC, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, Portland ME, Nashville, and Seattle. She always searched for nearby military bases to visit. She made several trips to Disney World where she stayed at the Shades of Green military resort, and to Hawaii where she stayed at the Hale Koa military resort. Doris also went to Nova Scotia, twice flew to France, and visited numerous other states. Doris went on many cruises, including a Mediterranean cruise with stops in Malta, Greece, Italy, France, and a side trip to Switzerland; two around the Hawaiian Islands; two to Alaska; and several to the Caribbean with destinations such as The Bahamas, Jamaica, Cozumel, Belize, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Venezuela. Her last cruise was on her 90th birthday.
Doris is survived by her six children: Carole Hennan and husband John Bruce of Pearland; Robert Hennan, Jr. and wife Lana of League City; Nona Herrera and husband George of Friendswood; Kurt Hennan and wife Diane of League City; Lynell Gipson and husband Bill of Conroe; Julie Kliesing and husband Larry of Pearland; ten grandchildren: Shane Hennan, Nathan Hennan, Dylan Herrera, Angela McConnell, Jennifer Dunlap, Kayla Cassy, Erin Novak, Leslie Hargrove, Rhiannon Kliesing, and Adrienne Kliesing; fourteen great grandchildren: Tyler Hennan, Kailey Hennan, Carter Hennan, Pierce Herrera, Pryce Herrera, Holt Herrera, Ridge Herrera, Evan McConnell, Ethan McConnell, Jayden Hayes, Jordan Hayes, Shay Dunlap, Jacob Dunlap, and Carson Cassy; one sister, Gloria Gaudet Smith of Baton Rouge; numerous nieces and nephews, to whom she was known as “Aunt Dee”; her special friends, Virginia Vasen of Pasadena TX, and Juanita (Skeeter) Burroughs of Baton Rouge; and her favorite cousin, Shirley Saladino, of Metairie LA.
Doris is preceded in death by her parents, Nora LeBlanc Gaudet and Louis Frederick Gaudet, Sr.; husband Robert John Hennan, Sr.; sisters, Rosemary Gaudet Champagne and Louise Gaudet Ferrara of Baton Rouge; brother, Louis F. Gaudet, Jr. of Jennings LA; and her dear friend Pauline Jackson of Baton Rouge.
A visitation in her honor will be held Monday, May 8, 2017, 6:00-8:00 pm, with funeral services Tuesday, May 9, 2017, 12:00 pm, both at Crowder Funeral Home. Private interment will follow at Houston National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030.