Mary Loe Gaudet

Mary Loe Gaudet, 94, passed away Sunday, June 23, 2019. She was 18 days short of her 95th birthday. A 70-year resident of El Paso she worked as an elementary school teacher, retiring after 25 years. She was born lucky on July 11, 1924 (7-11) in Saline, Bienville Parish, LA and remained lucky her entire life. Her birth name was Mary Alma Loe, but she adopted the name Mary Loe Williams after her birth father, Ruben Francis Loe, passed away when she was a child and her mother, Hazel Moales Loe, remarried Robert Williams of Arcadia, LA. She graduated high school in Arcadia, LA in 1941 and then attended LSU and La Tech earning a degree in music and education. Her good luck landed a first job in Honolulu in 1947 teaching music at an historical school. But island fever proved insurmountable and she sought a complete change of environment. Going from the tropical to the desert, her career path brought her state-side to a teaching job in El Paso in 1948. One-night, luck was with her again during a visit to the Fort Bliss Officers Club where she met a handsome Army Lieutenant, Augustine “Gus” Gaudet. He was from Rhode Island and was a WWII veteran who rose to the rank of Major. They fell in a love and married a year later. The marriage flourished 55 years until Gus’ death in 2004. Mary taught for 25 years, many of the years were at Wainwright Elementary in NE El Paso. Gus and Mary travelled in their retirement years returning each year to Santa Fe and to Colorado. They were members of the First United Methodist Church of El Paso. Her brothers Kavat Loe of Shreveport, LA and Espey Loe of Picayune, MS preceded her in death. She is survived by her twin sons, Frank J. Gaudet of Dallas, TX and Dr. Robert J. Gaudet of Grundy VA; and their wives Paula and Patricia. She is also survived by 3 grandchildren, attorney Robert J Gaudet, Jr of El Paso and his wife Karin Asmus from the Netherlands; Brandi Gaudet of Foster City, CA; and Greg Gaudet of Arlington, TX and his wife Angela. She is also survived by 6 great grandchildren; Amelia, Cora and Everett Gallegos; and Grae, Talis, and Rinley Gaudet. A devoted mother and wife, Mary cared deeply for her sons and showed her love with unwavering support not only for them, but for their families. She was unselfish, giving, and always thought of the well-being of her family before anything else. The family appreciates the hard work of the caregivers who befriended Mary during the last 3 years and made it possible for her to remain in her home of 60 years. They are Connie Banuelos, Beatrice Rojas, Bonnie Escobar, Bianca Torres, and Martha Cuevas. The family appreciates the services of her attorney William Copeland and the long- term relationship of her friends; Weldon Copeland, Nancy Wall and Marty Martin. Visitation was held at Sunset Funeral Home-NE on Tuesday evening. We regret that this notice did not reach the paper in time for your attendance. Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, June 26 at 9:00 am at Fort Bliss National Cemetery where Mary will be interned with Gus.