It was fitting that more people than ever celebrated the glorious, or inglorious, depending on their respective success rates, passing of the recently concluded duck hunting season in the Sportsman’s Paradise.

A crowd of 160 outdoorsmen, outdoorswomen and children filled the Francis Romero Memorial Building in Coteau on Friday evening, Feb. 7, for the 50th anniversary Duck Wake. Who would have dreamed this in 1975 when the first-ever Duck Wake was held at the late Dr. Roy Landry’s camp at Cypremort Point? And a few times later inside Paul McIlhenny’s mahogany WWII PT boat “The Heron” on pillars at Cypremort Point?

Gordie White of New Iberia, who along with his small band of merry outdoorsmen, foresaw the success of an event marking the end of a season, a logical excuse, er, reason, to get together with others to say goodbye, or good riddance, whatever the case may be. As someone close to the entire chronology of events noted, those outdoorsmen in the early days wore black armbands lamenting the passing of the season.

“Men mourned and women celebrated,” the man said with a knowing laugh.

White, 87, a retired lawyer, ardent waterfowler and one of only four of the event’s eight co-founders still living, emerged as the alpha and backbone of the succeeding Duck Wakes. The other co-founders are Anthony Duplantis, Dennis “Lou Boy” Granger and Glenn Brouillette, and the late Dr. Roy Landry, the late Jerry Fowler, the late Fritz Dietlien and the late Earl Roy. Granger and Brouillette went to the latest event, as did Deitlein’s son, Mike Dietlein. Also, as they have done the past few years, Earl Roy’s son, Jeff Roy Sr., and his grandsons, Jeff Roy Jr. and Tommy Roy, were on hand as they and others feasted on potato salad, boiled eggs, fresh bread, multiple desserts and, as fate would have it, sausage and chicken gumbo after there was a literal meltdown with dozens of ducks collected for the golden anniversary.

Long after the building emptied, the guest of honor said, “Oh, man, it was really very emotional for me, not only to have all the family there but old friends and new friends. Oh, yeah. I’d just meet and greet so many new friends. Everybody was very compatible and very friendly.”

“Oh, my gosh, it’s incredible. He’s created a legacy the way it grew from his core group of friends to this. It speaks volumes for my dad, what they feel about him and the community. It’s almost a little emotional and quite an honor to be here,” Kathryn White said while describing how she felt about her dad and the event.

One of Gordie White’s “old friends” was New Iberia Ducks Unlimited Chapter/Duck Wake co-founder “Lou Boy” Granger of Lake Charles, formerly of New Iberia. Granger, who lived here most of his life, rode here with a friend for the 50th Duck Wake. Granger was his typical gregarious self as he mingled with the crowd, Gordie White said.

Gordie White’s son, Dr. Eric White, 67, a local veterinarian who has taken over much of the planning and preparation the past several years, was overwhelmed by the turnout. He deeply regretted the majority of the donated ducks, which he tried to partially prepare early and ice down to avoid the cooking crush the day of the event, went bad Thursday.

He was in Super 1 early Friday to buy 15 hens and more andouille sausage. People in the crowd, which he told about the “strategical” error, didn’t seem to mind.

Dusty Rhodes, 66-year-old retired Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department Enforcement Division agent from New Iberia, was outside the hall tending to three large pots filled with gumbo, one of them with okra added.

Rhodes, who has stayed connected with the outdoors, more as a fisherman than hunter since retiring, appreciated what was going on inside the Francis Romero Memorial Building.

“It’s an incredible fellowship, that’s all. The hunters come together. It’s called a Duck Wake, basically to respect the duck hunting tradition in south Louisiana,” he said.

Ol’ “Pegleg” was in the house, too. Well, Bill “Pegleg” Potocki, 64, was at the site tending to the bubblin’ pots with Rhodes.

The retired environmental manager moved here in 2017. Potocki’s neighbor recommended Eric White as a veterinarian for his dog and the rest is history as he eventually met Gordie White. In fact, they tended bar together at a Bayou Teche Gala in 2018 and had such a good time they became friends.

“If you can’t have fun with Gordie you can’t have fun with anyone,” Potocki said.

Pegleg?

“In 2006 I broke one of my legs. Short version is my sister dubbed me ‘Pegleg.’ My wife started calling me that,” he said.

Among the staunch, longtime local DU chapter and Duck Wake stalwarts who enjoyed the event were Bud Lee, P.R. Burke and Burt Cestia Sr. N.I. DU Chapter chairman Jason Foster also was there.

After opening comments by Gordie White and Eric White, the Superior Hunting Club presented a framed U.S. Geological Survey map of the marsh the Whites have hunted for several decades along the Gulf Coast.

Gordie White’s family showed out, to be sure, with approximately 20-25 members sharing the moment with Gordie White.

“I call it a tribute to have all my extended family here, all the way down to a 1-year-old,” he said.

Penny White, Gordie White’s wife who treats the crowd every year with her home-baked pecan pies, said it has been gratifying to experience her husband’s passion for duck hunting, plus the end-of-season event, since ’75.

“I am thrilled to death that he has this as his wonderful go-to, to make friends for life,” she said as she swept her arm across the crowded hall.

Then she said, emphatically but with a chuckle, “And I never want to clean another duck in my life.”

Another of Gordie White’s daughters, Alexis Delcambre, delivered her notoriously popular and highly coveted bread pudding to the hall’s kitchen when she attended with her husband, Matt Delcambre, and their son, Thomas Delcambre, 35, who went to his first Duck Wake at age 25.

Eric White’s wife, Marilyn White, pointed out it was a four-generation event that night for her father-in-law.

“That’s what’s impressive,” she said.

Marilyn White pointed out Gordie White’s grandson, Gordie Theron (a name of Greek origin that means hunter) White, 16, who attended the event, is the same age as Eric White was when the first Duck Wake was held by his father in 1975 at the late Dr. Roy Landry’s camp at Cypremort Point.
“Eric’s worked really, really hard to make this really special for his dad,” she said.

Her husband’s preparation included having a special guest on hand. Eva Szyszkos, LDWF biologist working on an ongoing whooping crane reintroduction project, set up a table with literature about the endangered species and also fielded questions from Duck Wake-goers.

Szyszkos, who works out of the White Lake office, said the regional project started in 2011. The species is “doing pretty good” but there is an issue with embryos dying in the egg.

However, she said, “We do have birds effectively hatching.”

After the birds hatch, she added, LDWF personnel monitor them for about 80 days, when they are capable of flying.

Her opportunity to educate the public in such a venue was hatched 50 years ago by foresighted and fun-loving waterfowlers like Gordie White.