Anna Monica / L’Observateur / December 13, 2000

Several events very close to her heart recently captured the memories and attention of Frances (Ginnick) Roccafort of Garyville. Grandson MarkLouque, Jr., of Lutcher, an LSU senior majoring in information systems andan experienced thespian, had the lead role in “Godspell” at the Baton Rouge Little Theatre.

Mark, son also of Susie, who sings with “Bits and Pieces,” has played a number of lead roles in theatre productions in Reserve, including “South Pacific,” “Grease,” “Annie” and “Damn Yankees.” A trumpet player in theLSU band, he has sung at weddings with his mom and has a keen interest in the arts.

His grandmother has fond memories of a very young Mark rushing to play the organ in her home when he came over and having a natural ear for music, which he loves and with which he is gifted. “Godspell” has playedfor three weekends, and Ginnick has seen it twice.

At her home Ginnick happily showed me pictures of 100-year-old Beatrice Dores of Garyville as they celebrated her birthday earlier this year.

Garyville residents who have known her for most of their lives call her “Bea,” and she calls the ones she took care of through the years “my little white children.” Prominent among those “little white children” for yearswere the offspring of the late Mr. and Mrs. Armant Falgoust, who today areLotsie Haydel, Audrey Monica, Beryl LeBoeuf, Shirley Mae Roccaforte and Ginnick. Clara and the late Hubert Oubre’s family were also part of Bea’slarge circle of close friends. Just about everyone who knows Bea holds herin highest esteem with warmth and love.

When the senior Falgousts left their family to travel together for the first time, Bea was left in charge of the children. Ginnick fondly remembersthat faithfully for two weeks Bea would come in the morning to fix their breakfast, straighten their house and then go home to return and repeat the process at supper time. Their relationship has continued throughoutthe years. Every time someone in town was sick, Ginnick recalls, youwould see Bea walking down the street, carrying her apron, on her way to help them.

Bea is the widow of the late John Dores, to whom she was married well beyond 50 years. Her two sons were the late Hilton and Milton, with whomshe still lives. There are eight grandchildren. It was the “Falgoust girls,”Milton and great nephew Raymond Anderson and wife of Mt. Airy, whobrought cake, ice cream, soft drinks and gifts to Bea’s home in Garyville to celebrate her birthday. The Falgousts bring her things for all the holidays.The one request that Bea has made is that when she dies, “a quarter be collected from all her little white children” to buy her flowers. That,obviously, will not be honored because it is too little a price to put on the life of this extraordinary lady who has lived over 100 years.

“I could never forget Bea,” Ginnick says. Obviously, neither can anyone elsewho knows her.

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