Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Galliano, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Dick Guidry was referred to us by many people. Tom and I first interviewed Dick in 1996 when we were spent one month in southern Louisiana working on the baseline study of three Gulf Coast communities. Dick did not remember that visit, but he was happy to arrange to meet for this study. I met him at 8am at his house in Galliano. His wife was present for the first part of the interview, but she left after about an hour to go to her bridge game.

Dick was born in 1930 in south Lafourche. His family was in the grocery business and people congregated around the store, so he grew up exposed to information about what was happening in the area. He got into the oil and gas business when he graduated from high school. He became the youngest state legislator when he was elected to the position in 1951 and became involved with numerous endeavors throughout his career.