Lonie Lee Gaspard

February 6, 1921 - February 9, 2011

Lonie Lee Gaspard, Sr., 90, of Port Arthur, Texas passed away on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at Cypress Glen East Nursing Home in Port Arthur. He was born February 6, 1921 to Maggie Haden Gaspard and Clerphe Gaspard in Cow Island, Louisiana. He served his country during WWII as a high skilled radio operator in the U. S. Air Force flying in a B-26 participating in the European Theater. He moved to Port Arthur in 1945 and began a life-long career in the maritime industry starting as a member of the I. L. A. Local #1029. In 1948, he was hired by P. C. Pfeiffer Stevedoring Company as a regular Walking Foreman, supervising loading and unloading ships in the Sabine area. In 1964, he was promoted to the position of General Manager of the Port Arthur operations and then in 1965 became a Vice President. In 1970, he was one of the founding Directors of the Port Arthur International Seafarers Center and in 1979 was elected by the Sabine Area stevedores and steamship agencies to the Board of Directors of the West Gulf Maritime Association. He served in that position until his retirement from P. C. Pfeiffer in 1986. He was also a former member of the Propeller Club of the Sabine and a member of the Traffic Club of Sabine. For the next fifteen years he worked as a stevedore consultant for five different Stevedore companies and Atlantic Shippers Corp. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Elvena Gaspard, his sisters, Virginia Taylor, Alice Faulk, Wilda Landry and Ora May Toups, his brothers, Roy and Elwood. He is survived by his daughters, Sister Katie Gaspard, Dominican Sister of Beaumont, Maggie Joubert and husband, Raymond, Jr. of Orange, Sharon Anderson and husband Michael of Wichita Falls, his sons, Roy Gaspard and wife Gaile of Groves, Lonie Gaspard, Jr. and wife Cheryl of New Caney, Floyd Gaspard and wife Francine of Port Arthur, Darrell Gaspard, Sr. and wife Diana of Groves. He is also survived by his 16 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren, his sisters, Velma Borel and husband Earl of Vidor, Margaret Oubre and husband Ora of Port Arthur, his brother, C. B. "Barny" Gaspard and wife Sandra of Kountze along with several nieces and nephews.