Jerry Lee (Dalhart) Theriot

Willis - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jerry Lee Dalhart Theriot, who peacefully passed away on June 26, 2025 at the age of 96. Born in Bastrop, Louisiana on December 16, 1928, she graduated early from high school and right away knew she wanted to be a registered nurse. She moved to New Orleans and graduated from LSU School of Nursing with Post-Graduate work at DePaul Hospital with a specialty in Psychiatric Nursing.

She met her future husband at a party in New Orleans, and he said he was a "garbage collector." A few weeks later, she was walking out of the LSU Medical School Library with an arm full of books and research papers...and this young man ran into her and knocked all her work into a water puddle. She asked him, "What are you doing here?" It turns out he was a medical student entering the library. They went on a date and 3 months later were married.

She was a devoted mother to five children, Edward Claiborne Theriot, PhD, Eugene Charles Theriot, Jr. MD, Michael Emmett Theriot, JD, and Margaret "Maggie" Elizabeth Theriot, BSN, RN. She is preceded in death by a daughter, Suzanne Marie Theriot. She is also preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Dr. Eugene "Gene" Theriot.

She was a cherished grandmother to 9 grandchildren (Nicole, Kimberly, Michelle, Eugene, Samantha, Rachel, Emily, Chandler, and Claiborne), and blessed with 9 beautiful, precious great-grandchildren.

Jerry was known for her beautiful smile, loving hugs, humor, cooking and entertaining. An avid reader, she also enjoyed golfing, loved the outdoors, fishing and camping (both tent camping and 'glamping'), bird watching, crossword puzzles, art, travel, and her family. When her youngest started 1st grade she did volunteer work at a mental health center in Houma, Louisiana, which subsequently hired her as a full-time mental health nurse for 4 years. She left that employment, eventually opening JJ's Stitchery Shop with her dear friend, Jackie Chaisson, where she expressed her many creative talents with needlepoint, crochet, and sewing. Later in life she went back to work again as a nurse with Gene (Dr. Theriot) at a family practice clinic down Bayou Petit Caillou.

She was a member of the Krewe of Hyacinthians serving as a maid of the court, stayed active in garden and book clubs (she remained an avid reader to her last days). She loved to travel almost as much as she loved to read. As her baby chicks began to fly the coop, they traveled to London, Wales, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Egypt, Mexico, and Hawaii. They enjoyed frequent family trips to Colorado to go skiing, as well as regular trips to beaches of Destin & Pensacola, Florida. The family traveled extensively throughout the US (east to west coasts) in their class A motorcoach RV to many national parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains, Rocky Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Channel Islands, Yosemite, Redwoods, and Glacier Bay.

All who knew Jerry loved her. She was full of grace and kindness making friends wherever she and Gene went. And they traveled about Louisiana as much as they traveled the world. Throughout their marriage, they lived in New Orleans, then Paincourtville (Gene's hometown), then Houma, then back to New Orleans, back to Houma(!), then Baton Rouge, then Chauvin, and (once again!) back to Houma, Louisiana.

In 1995 Jerry and Gene began a life-long dream. For two years, they lived on their 62 ft CT Cutter Ketch sailboat "Decision" sailing the Gulf of Mexico from Port Aransas to the Florida Keys. Once they were caught in a major dry storm (like a hurricane with massive seas, but no rain) for 3 days. But they both calmly handled the boat and it just became another adventure for them.

Settling back onto solid ground with their many friends, and after Gene passed away, Jerry moved to Houston, TX to live with her youngest daughter, Maggie, and grandson, Chandler. They settled on Lake Conroe. Once again, Jerry was blessed with many new friends. Jerry, lovingly known by all as "Memaw" played a major role in helping to raise Chandler because Maggie's employment required extensive travel.

Again travel was a major highlight in Jerry's life and she enjoyed traveling with Maggie & Chandler with multiple trips to London, England, Scotland, Hawaii, treated to The Captain's Suite on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas Alaskan cruise, yearly visits to Galveston Beach, and grandchildren's weddings in Pine, Colorado, Corpus Christi, Texas, New Orleans & Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After 21 years, however, Maggie assumed the role of primary caregiver to Memaw.

We would be honored for you to join us for a Memorial Celebration on Saturday, August 9, 2025, 12 noon, at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home, 10129 FM 1097, Willis, TX 77318. Then please join us & enjoy some Texas style BBQ & a Celebration of Life party for Jerry at their home to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to any of the following charities: Cystic Fibrosis Source, Brain Aneurysm Foundation, United Cajun Navy (Texas flood victims).