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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 126
BY REPRESENTATIVE GISCLAIR AND SENATORS CHABERT AND ALARIO
CONDOLENCES: Expresses condolences upon the death of former State Representative
Richard "Dick" Guidry
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To express the condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of former State2
Representative Richard P. "Dick" Guidry of Galliano.3
WHEREAS, with the death of former State Representative Richard "Dick" Guidry4
of Lafourche Parish on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at the age of eighty-four, Louisiana has5
lost one of the most notable figures in the rich chronicles of Louisiana politics; and6
WHEREAS, Richard P. "Dick" Guidry was born on September 22, 1929, to John L.7
Guidry and Lillian L. Guidry and he grew up by the Galliano bridge in Lafourche Parish,8
graduated from Golden Meadow High School, and briefly attended LSU; and9
WHEREAS, recognized upon his induction into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame10
earlier this year as the youngest person to be elected to the House of Representatives of the11
Legislature of Louisiana, Dick Guidry served in the House of Representatives from 195212
through 1956 and again from 1964 through 1976; and13
WHEREAS, during his legislative career Representative Guidry served on many14
standing committees, perhaps most significantly as chairman of the House Committee on the15
Judiciary, Section B from 1968 to 1976; Jud B, as it was called at that time, was viewed as16
the governor's committee, the committee to which bills especially favored by the governor17
were referred regardless of subject matter; as chairman of Jud B and a floor leader, Dick18
Guidry was a key player in the highly productive first term of Governor Edwin Edwards and19
responsible for moving along much of the legislation in that historic term; and20 HLS 14RS-3841 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, Dick Guidry had a remarkable legislative career serving Lafourche1
Parish where he is still remembered for transformational infrastructure projects that changed2
Lafourche Parish from a time before lift bridges allowed easy access across Bayou3
Lafourche, which splits the parish lengthwise, before levees protected south Lafourche in4
storms, when drinking water came from cisterns, and before giant ships docked at Port5
Fourchon; Representative Guidry's vision and legislative efforts produced such6
improvements as more bridges across the bayou, a pump station that pumps Mississippi7
River water into the bayou to provide fresh water for a quarter-million residents of five8
parishes, the South Lafourche Levee District that has provided a ring levee to protect the9
south Lafourche area, and hospital districts for hospitals in Galliano and Raceland, and he10
was instrumental in creating the Greater Lafourche Port Commission as well; and11
WHEREAS, these accomplishments demonstrate the vision and optimism of this12
remarkable man; he was a man of action, unafraid to take risks, to take on difficult problems13
and seek to solve them; his career in business demonstrated the same attitude, for he was14
involved in real estate development, had a booming drive-in movie theater business, and had15
business ventures in banking, oil exploration, and offshore towing vessels that operated16
worldwide; and17
WHEREAS, Dick Guidry also served Louisiana as a member of the Louisiana18
Constitutional Convention of 1973, which achieved the almost impossible task of completely19
rewriting and dramatically shortening the state constitution, and he served as a member of20
the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Compact; and21
WHEREAS, former House Speaker Bubba Henry captured Dick Guidry well when22
he said: "He was the most generous, hard-working, funny and sincere person I knew. ... He23
was a good-spirited, charming person. It was hard to turn Dick down. ... He could get his24
dander up ... and let you know how he felt in spades.", and those who knew him remember25
him as an iconic politician and a legislative magician, and they recall the wonderful, slight26
smile and most especially the twinkle that was almost always present in his eyes; and27
WHEREAS, Dick Guidry is survived by his wife of sixty-two years, Phyllis G.28
Guidry, his children Dennis Guidry and wife Carol, David Guidry and wife Mary, Phyllis29
"Fe Fe" Guidry, Lillie Ledet and husband Tad, and Lisa Guidry Rogers, by seven30 HLS 14RS-3841 ORIGINAL
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grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, by his brother Robert Guidry and his sister1
Rosie G. Harris, and by numerous nieces and nephews, and in addition to his parents, he was2
preceded in death by his son R. Paul Guidry and his brother Lloyd Guidry.3
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby4
express sincere condolences to the family and friends of former State Representative Richard5
P. "Dick" Guidry of Galliano upon his death and does record in the annals of legislative6
accomplishments, not only the legendary service of Dick Guidry to the people of Lafourche7
Parish and to the state of Louisiana, but also the special place this quintessential South8
Louisiana Cajun legislator will always have in the celebrated history of the Louisiana9
Legislature.10
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to11
members of the family of former State Representative Dick Guidry.12
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Gisclair HCR No. 126
Expresses the condolences of the legislature upon the death of former State Representative
Richard "Dick" Guidry of Galliano.