Jesse J. Guidry

* * *

Louisiana State Representative
for St. Martin and Iberia parishes

In office
1973-1981
Governor  |  David C. Treen
Preceded by  |  J. Burton Angelle
Succeeded by  |  Harry L. Benoit

* * *

Secretary of the Louisiana
Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

In office
1981-1984
Preceded by  |  J. Burton Angelle
Succeeded by  |  J. Burton Angelle

* * *

Born  |  March 21, 1921
Cecilia, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana
Died  |  September 2, 1987 (aged 66)
Houston, Texas
Resting place  |  Greenoaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge
Political party  |  Democrat
Spouse(s)  |  Joe W. Guidry

Children  |  Madeline Broussard

Bruce Guidry
Dean Guidry
Parents:
Thomas D., Sr., and Therese Angelle Guidry

Residence  |  Cecilia, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, USA

* * *

Military Service

Service/branch  |  United States Army
Battles/wars  |  World War II

Not to be confused with Dick Guidry, another Louisiana state representative

Jesse J. Guidry (March 21, 1921 - September 2, 1987)[1] was a Democratic politician from Cecilia in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, who served from 1973 to 1981 as a state representative during the first two administrations of Governor Edwin Edwards.[2]

## Background[edit]

Guidry was the son of Thomas D. Guidry, Sr. (1895-1965), and the former Therese Angelle (1893-1963). He had a sister, Elizabeth L. Castille (1930-2013) of Breaux Bridge, also in St. Martin Parish,[3] and a brother, Thomas Guidry, Jr. (1932-2015), an accountant from Cecilia.[4]

## Political career[edit]

Guidry won a special election in 1973 to succeed Representative J. Burton Angelle, who became the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in the first two Edwards administrations. Coincidentally, eight years later, Guidry himself succeeded Angelle as LDWF secretary in the single term of Republican Governor David C. Treen. Guidry's House tenure had also spilled over into the first year of the Treen administration.

While he was LDWF secretary, Guidry was sued by Voison's Oyster House, Inc., of Houma in Terrebonne Parish on grounds that Guidry had denied the company oyster leases. The trial court ordered summary judgment on grounds that Guidry was exempt from suit in federal court under the Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution (1791), which requires that suits filed against states be heard in state courts. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans affirmed the Eleventh Amendment in 1986 and ordered dismissal of Voison's suit, not on the merits, but on the lack of proper jurisdiction.[5]

When Edwards returned to the governorship in 1984 after having unseated Treen, Angelle succeeded Guidry for a third term as the LDWF secretary.[6] Like Guidry, Angelle had ties to Cecilia.

In 1988, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters in the capital city of Baton Rouge was named in Guidry's honor.[7]

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Jesse J. Guidry. findagrave.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2021.
2. ↑ Members of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024: St. Martin Parish. Louisiana House of Representatives. Retrieved on February 11, 2021.
3. ↑ Elizabeth Guidry Castille. pellerinfuneralhome.com (March 19, 2013). Retrieved on September 2, 2015; obituary no longer accessible on-line.
4. ↑ Thomas D. "Boy" Guidry, Jr.. findagrave.com. Retrieved on February 11, 2021.
5. ↑ Voisin's Oyster House, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-appellants, v. Jesse J. Guidry, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Defendants-appellees, 799 F.2d 183 (5th Cir. 1986). law.justia.com (September 8, 1986). Retrieved on February 11, 2021.
6. ↑ James Burton "Burt" Angelle, Sr.. The Baton Rouge Advocate through findagrave.com (August 28, 1997). Retrieved on February 11, 2021.
7. ↑ 2011 Louisiana Revised Statutes: Title 56 — Wildlife and Fisheries: RS 56:7.1 — Jesse J. Guidry Center for Wildlife and Fisheries Resources. law.justia.com (1988). Retrieved on February 11, 2021.