Interviewer(s): J. Piekielek. Boothville, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

I met Edward Denet at the Boothville Senior Center; the coordinator of the center introduced him to me after I explained the project to her. She had talked with Mr. Denet just the other day about his work, and remembered that he used to run boats for the oil companies. Edward Denet agreed to do an interview right away, and we met in a quiet room at the center. Edward Denet was a well dressed man (as he attested to during his interview). He was a great story teller and would lean in every once and awhile like he was about to tell me a good secret. He was enthusiastic to tell me about his own success working on boats, as well as the subsequent success of his son, who has followed in his footsteps and now owns his own company, Denet Towing, in Boothville.

Edward R. Denet was born in Boothville in 1919. He spent his working life on boats, first as a shrimper and then working boats serving the oil industry. He worked for Shell Oil for 40 years, first working as a deckhand and then a captain on a boat owned by Herby Collette. Edward Denet then bought his own wooden hulled boat and continued to work for Shell Oil. His son followed in his footsteps and owns and operates Denet Towing in Boothville.