In South Louisiana, families are important

Frank “John” and Lois Domingue might have started their lives in St. Landry Parish, but their descendants are now scattered throughout the Teche Area, Acadiana and Louisiana — mostly. The fact they spent most of their married lives taking in other people in need, including at one point 18 foster children from the same family, the list could be longer than this story portrays.

After adopting their oldest child Hilda Richard, now 84, the couple had 11 more children of their own. When Lois Domingue was pregnant with the youngest, Lori, her husband was killed in an auto wreck, leaving her to care for their 12 children alone. It took the whole family to help, while Lois went back to nursing school and worked to provide for education, necessities and amenities.

Still living are Frank James Domingue, 77, Theo Domingue, 72, Linda Freyou, 71, Louis Domingue, 68, Leota Castille, 66, Anne Bergeron, 64, Raymond Domingue Sr., 61, Nancy Ellis, 58, Elizabeth Block, 57, and Lori Guillory, 54. Only Della Thompson is deceased.

The list of contacts for the monthly newsletter maintained by Kathleen Domingue, one of the Lois Domingue’s daughters-in-law, is up to 50 grandchildren, 99 great-grandchildren and 21 great-great-grandchildren. Kathleen Domingue is the authority for family information that may be disseminated via email, sometimes more than once a day, depending on immediate family needs, or as little as monthly announcing birthday and anniversary lists.

The story of each child is different, but the bond of loving one another has kept the family close.

“My father was killed when I was 10,” said Leota Domingue Castille, seventh in line. “Linda was 15 and we practically raised my younger siblings. We were children ourselves. Mom was in school and was working, so mother instilled in us we had to be together.”

Leota Domingue said other children wanted to play with dolls, but she was doing it for real. Other games were more fun for her.

“We all have done well in the sense we only had a mother. Everyone has been successful,” she said. “We’ve never had to ask for a penny from anyone. My mother also instilled in us that we had to work.”

Linda Domingue Freyou said her mother’s advice she will hold dearest is to love one another despite the differences.

“Mom was a promoter of that philosophy ,” Linda Domingue Freyou said. “That’s why I’ve kept up her tradition, a big formal dinner every Christmas for my brothers and sisters and their spouses.”

This summer marked the first of what she hopes will be a new tradition. For more than a year Linda Freyou planned a summer celebration for all the nieces to gather at Antique Roseville for high tea. All of the Domingue women filled the banquet room with laughter and giggles as they sat at tables with china, cloth napkins and lots of dainty foods.

The tradition of family gatherings for holidays has not stopped as the family has grown. Brother Louis manages Christmas for everyone in the family at a camp in Mire, where their mother celebrated with them. More than 200 people have gathered at one time, depending on who can make it as some must travel from around the world.

Castille said at one point they were scattered from California to Japan, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, but all the siblings have moved back to Louisiana. Now Lafayette is the hub. She said her family celebrates at her house for the Super Bowl. Everybody brings a dish and she provides the main course. At Christmas, 15 pounds of her potato salad is highly requested.

They also occasionally go to movies together. Someone is coming up with something to do often, Castille said. They might not be able to invite everybody, but they are always getting together one way or another.

Despite the occasional family squabble, they have remained close.

“If we need anything, we can count on one another,” Linda Freyou said.

The New Iberia Freyou house is just one of the gathering places for this expansive family. Two of Linda and Simon Freyou’s children and their families also live in Iberia Parish.

Karen Freyou Bonin has an even larger extended family at St. Edward Catholic School, where she is principal. It is the Bonin property where the anticipated nephew fishing day will take place, the same place used by the Optimist Club and Iberia Parish Library fishing trips.

Karen Bonin’s brother Patrick Freyou also stayed close to home and raised his two daughters in New Iberia. Katelyn Freyou, the oldest, never knew her great-grandmother, Lois Domingue, but she is following in her footsteps as a second year nursing student. Her sister, who graduated Catholic High School this year, will begin her studies in nursing as well.

“My family has a long line of nurses,” Katelyn Freyou said. “I can’t imagine not being part of a big family. ”

Having a large family also means many resources for its young members, she said. Many of the older family members have the “best advice.”

“I learn stuff every day from my grandparents every time I come over,” Katelyn Domingue said. “You never know what you’ll learn from the older generation. I love listening to stories.”