Gerdell G. Theriot

Gerdell G. Theriot, 90, passed away on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, in her Lake Charles, Louisiana home. Born on October 9, 1935, to Raymond and Telice Miller Gaspard, she was a lifelong resident of Lake Charles and a steady, loving presence to all who knew her.

Known affectionately as “Maw Maw,” she built her life around family, faith, and the simple joys of everyday living. She devoted many years to caring for children, both her own and countless others she lovingly babysat through the years. She worked for Guth Dairy in Lake Charles for a decade before beginning her career with the Calcasieu Parish School Board, retiring in 1997.

Maw Maw enjoyed the routines that brought her joy: a good game of Bourré with friends on Thursdays and Saturdays, an afternoon spent watching game shows, sports, or her favorite soap operas, and time in the kitchen cooking meals that always brought her family together. She was a faithful member of Christ the King Catholic Church, where her quiet strength and steady devotion were woven into the fabric of her life.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Scott Theriot, T. R. Theriot, Jr. (Loretta), Troy Theriot, and Lauren Vincent (Bill); her brother, John Gaspard (Sharon); her sister, Nelvia Murphy (Guy); ten grandchildren; and twenty great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Thomas Theriot, Sr.; her great grandson, Noah Ray Vincent; and eleven brothers and sisters.

Maw Maw leaves behind a legacy of love, loyalty, and quiet faith. Her family takes comfort in knowing she is reunited with those who went before her and rests now in the peace of God’s eternal care.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, with Father Cormier serving as Celebrant. Burial will follow in Highland Memory Gardens Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral Home, 4321 Lake St. on Friday evening from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with a Rosary being recited at 6:00 PM. Visitation will resume at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning, continuing until leaving in procession to the church.