Lucille knows how important it is for families to leave their words for the younger generations. It is truly giving of yourself. Lucille knows who her parents and grandparents were, what they did, and what they endured. Sharing this information with her family and now the J. Michael Morrow Nursing Home community and beyond, records history. In addition, it just feels good to laugh when we relive those special family
stories.

Lucille has two daughters, Jo Ann Miller and Delores Gresko. Her girls are great about visiting Lucille every weekend and in between. Jo Ann and Delores take turns picking up their mother for overnight visits. There is always laughter when the girls are around. They bring laundry home and Lucille enjoys ironing her own clothes sometimes on those overnight visits. Lucille is a very young 96 year old!

Yes, Lucille was saddened by the loss of her husband, Alton Olivier , of 71 years on January 2, 2012; but, she also grieves the loss of her two sons-in-law, Charles A. Miller and Joseph "Jœ" Gresko , who died in 2016, just 12 days apart. Following in their parents footsteps, Jo Ann and Charlie had been married for 53 years and Delores and Joe were married for 55 years.

Lucille was born in the area of Marais Platte, on Jacko Road. It is now called Sawmill Road. Later, the family moved to nearer to Breaux Bridge and her father became a school bus driver. They moved into a tiny house and later built the family home, which is still standing. It is located on the west side of Bayou Teche on Main Highway in Breaux Bridge.

Lucille's parents were Saul and Ona Tabor Broussard. They did speak French but mostly, they spoke English to their children. The children were: Myrtle (Mrs. John Fontenot), May "Sister" (Mrs. Oleste Tauzin), Lucille (Mrs. Alton Olivier), Lucy "PooPom," Lucille's twin sister (Mrs. Clarence Broussard), Earl (married Marcelle Mondet) and Hilda (Mrs. Felix Zaunbecher).

Saul Broussard was a property owner, farmer and school bus driver. He took children to school with a mule team pulling the " transfert."  When motorized school buses came into use, Saul Broussard drove one for many years. His first motorized school bus did not have seats that ran across the aisles. The seats were long benches that ran the length of the school bus. There were two pairs of long benches that faced one another with an aisle in between.

Lucille laughingly remembers one year when she and Lucy were in the third grade. The Broussard family had four children in school. Three failed and Myrtle was valedictorian. Lucille remembers she was so scared. They did not want to tell their Poppa. That is when the parents decided to send the children to the parochial school, St. Bernard, in Breaux Bridge. They attended St. Bernard School until the seventh grade and then had to go back to the public school.

Jo Ann remembers that "PaPop," her name for her grandfather Saul Broussard, did not drive the family car to church on Sundays. He drove his school bus and picked up people all along the way. After church, he took his friends and neighbors to pick up groceries at a little store in Breaux Bridge.

Lucille's siblings are listed below with the names their children and grandchildren that she could remember:

May, Mrs. Oleste Tauzin, had four children:

• Becky, Mrs. Clifford Hebert. They owned a swimming pool business in Breaux Bridge called Acadiana Pools. Their children are Tony, Chris, Jude and Rusty.
• Yvonne, Mrs. Cleve Banker. They live in Baton Rouge. They had three children: Tabor and twin boys.
• Elaine lived to the age of 18 months.
• Lennett married Linda.
  

• Erwin married Linda
• Judy married Randy Anderson
• Gayle who has a daughter Andrea
• Mark has a daughter, April.
  

• Virginia married a Champagne. They had: Leah Rivera, Lindsey and Lance.
• Suzanne married Carl Marks. They had Lance, Jake who married Lindsay Goulas and Jena
• Liz married Barry Latiolais and they had Ryan and Sadie, who is an RN.
• Paulette
• Earl Jr., "Jay" who married Madelyn Guidry. They had two children: Tiffany, the mother of Rider and Aria; and Brice.
• Paul Saul married Andrea. They have no children. Paul Saul was a Breaux Bridge High coach.
  

• Thomas married Rosemary. They have two children: Jennifer and Michael.
• Cindy, who is a neurosurgeon, married Dr. Albon Young.
• Bobby married Jackie. Their children are: Allison Rader, a pediatrician in New Iberia; and, Anne who has quadruplets.
• Michael married Debbie and they had thee children: Craig and two others.
• David married Lynette and they had two children.
• Karl Zaunbrecher, DVM in Saranac Lake, New York.
• Julie married Russell Champagne. She is the principal at St. Genevieve School in Lafayette. They have three children: Emily, Marie and Ross.

Lucille also knows her husband's family. Of course, when you are married to someone for over 71 years, you learn all there is to know about your in-laws.

Again, Lucille is a twin and only recently lost her twin sister, Lucy, Mrs. Clarence Broussard.

The Broussard children were helpers in the cotton patch. Lucille recalls a time when a little shower of rain came while she and her siblings were picking cotton. They quit the cotton picking and made their way home. Their mother warned them that their father would not be pleased; but, the children soon went out to the bayou bank which was not far away and spent their time playing. When their father returned from his school bus route, the children were faced with their father and a strap. He did not actually whip them but he put the fear into them. When Lucy, Lucille's twin, saw her father coming in, she grabbed the Bible and her prayer book and started reading. She told the other children: "We better pray."

Another time, the children were hot and fed up with the cotton picking so they broke the green cotton bolls and threw them on the ground so that they would not have to pick the opened cotton bolls. Their father found out about it and he was not happy. He never spanked them and neither did their mother.

The Broussard family raised chicken and turkeys. Jo Ann and Delores remember that one of those tom turkeys was mean and would chase them around the yard. Lucille remembers how they plucked the chickens and prepared meals for the family.

Jo Ann says her grandfather was very loving. She was the first grandchild of Saul and Ona Broussard and she said: "I could do no wrong with PaPop. "He would pay Jo Ann a nickel to sweep the inside of his school bus when she was a little girl of about seven or eight years old.

Lucille said that her father taught all of his children how to drive before they left home. Her mother, Ona, never learned to drive a car but she could hitch the horse to the buggy, load up her children and off she would go.

Lucille recalls boarding a wagon drawn by mules and going to a bal de maison where accordion music was played. This is where they learned to dance. There was no formal dance instruction. Lucille's father driving a school bus had another consequence in Lucille's life. Her father drove people to the Lucaire Guidry Dance Hall in Breaux Bridge in his school bus. Her mother rode along as a chaperone.

Lucille remembers another dance hall was at the corner of East Bridge Street and North Main Street in downtown Breaux Bridge. The dancehall was a large two-story building and the dancing was upstairs. It was very hot and there were no fans. The building is still there.

On one such evening of dancing, Lucille met Alton Olivier who would become her husband. Courting consisted of the boys coming to the family's home.

At one time Lucille recalls that there were three of the Broussard girls with boyfriends who would come courting at their house. One ofAlton's good friends who courted Lucy, Lucille's twin sister, was Wilbert "Wilo" Dohmann, who became Jo Ann's Godfather. "Wilo" was a well-known car salesman in the area. Another of Alton's friends who would court at the Broussard home was Lloyd Olivier, Alton's first cousin, who also came from Arnaudville. He served in Lucille and Alton's wedding. In this circle of friends was Lucille's sister May and her boyfriend and later husband, Oleste Tauzin. On many nights of courting, "Wilo" drove his car and Alton paid for the fuel. The refreshments served during these dates mainly consisted of coffee, lemonade, or water. The couples would sit in the living room or porch and talk.

Lucille and Alton courted for two and a half years before marrying. The marriage did not take place until Alton asked Lucille's parents if he could marry Lucille. Lucille was there too in the room when Alton asked her father. Lucille continues: "My Dad liked Alton. Whenever there was somewhere to go, it was Alton who drove Poppa. I had to stay with Momma."Jo Ann adds that her Dad also drove their great grandfather to the horse races. His name was Adelbert Broussard, a cousin to Beausoleil Broussard.

Lucille's mother did not work outside of the home. Lucille remembers her as an excellent homemaker, cook and seamstress. With six children and a home to run, she was always busy. The only help was the sharecropper's wife who occasionally helped in the house. But, when there were crops to harvest, Lucille's mother would even babysit the sharecropper's children with her own so that all labor could be devoted to the harvest.

Lucille and her twin sister had the responsibility of scrubbing the screen porch. The porch was unpainted and scrub brushes were used. Lucille and Lucy would count the boards and then divide the chore between the two of them. The porch had to be scrubbed until it was yellow. It was very important to Lucille's parents that their children were properly educated. Both Mr. and Mrs. Broussard could read and write. And, all of the Broussard children graduated from high school. Jo Ann remembers that her grandparents knew some things in French. For example, her grandmother called old heavy shoes " de quantier ."

Alton Olivier, Lucille's husband was the son of Lucien "Shobe" Olivier and Bertha Meche. Shobe was the son of Alexie Olivier and his mother was a Robin. They were farmers and everyone who was privileged to share a meal at Bertha's table agree that she was the best cook around. She was also a very good seamstress. Alton learned how to cook from his mother and he enjoyed cooking for his family and friends at home and at their camp. Bertha was the daughter of Horace Meche and Marie Boutte. They were from Grand Coteau.

At this point Jo Ann and Delores decide to "spill the beans." They recount the story of the Boutte family and its connection to the pirate Jean LaFitte. The Bouttes even received oil royalties from the Barataria area.*Jo Ann remembers a story from her great grandmother, Marie Boutte. During the Civil War, the Boutte family could hear the fighting around the Grand Coteau area. The parents had warned the children to stay in the yard but, the warning was ignored. The children climbed the hills around Grand Coteau where the fighting was taking place. When their parents found out about it, they got the beating of their lives. Her great grandmother would say that she would never forget that one.

Alton was one of four children. His siblings were Georgie (Mrs. Gussie Savoy), Maud (Mrs. Arcade Courville) and Remi (married to Louella Lormand).

Alton and Lucille were married on April 13, 1940, at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge. Lucille believes that she bought her wedding suit from a store in Breaux Bridge. It was a beautiful yet practical pink suit and a beautiful stylish hat which was bought at the same place as the suit. Lucille remembers that her wedding reception was held at her home. Cake, coffee and punch was served. It was a small wedding with only family and close friends attending.

As was the custom at the time, the honeymoon was spent with relatives. Lucille's aunt, Lydia, Mrs. Felix LeBlanc on Bushville Highway hosted the newly married couple for one night. The Felix LeBlanc home was almost directly across the street from the present Carroll and Diane Rivette Knott home. After the wedding, and the one night with Aunt Lydia, Alton and Lucille lived with the Olivier family in Arnaudville.

Alton farmed for one year and decided to try something else. He went to work in Opelousas where he inspected acreage and crops in St. Landry Parish.

Lucille recalls that when she was pregnant for Jo Ann, she did not go to the doctor. Dr. Chatlain came to the house to deliver the baby and "the delivery was nothing." Soon after Jo Ann was born, Lucille got pregnant for Delores. Delores was breeched and that made for a very difficult "feet first" delivery. Lucille feels sure that in this day, she would have had a Caesarean section. After that, she never could get pregnant again. The doctor who delivered Delores was Dr. Tolen. Jo Ann was baptized at St. Bernard where her parents were married. Like her father, Delores was baptized in Arnaudville at St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church.

Later, Alton was a broker of sweet potatoes, cabbage, onions and other produce. He and a cousin Remi Meche and Franklin Wright started the Arnaudville Service Co-op. Lucille states that Mr. Frank Wright was nobody's fool. The two, Alton and Mr. Frank, would travel to Chicago and other cities to broker their produce. When the weevils ended the farming of sweet potatoes in the Arnaudville area, Alton became a salesman for Sammy Broussard Equipment Center where he sold International tractors and later Kubota lawn mowers. Lucille remembers that he loved his Kubota lawn mower and would not let anyone touch that mowing machine. Delores says that her mother use to say that her Dad preferred his Kubota to her.

In addition to being a mother and a housewife, Lucille enjoyed a career at the Darby Store in Arnaudville. Lucille assisted Beverly, Mrs. Joe Darby, who was not only the manager but a good friend. Lucille started work around 1954 and worked at the Darby Store for 20 years. Joe Darby was the son of Jules and Bertha Barras Darby. Lucille also enjoyed Beulah Barras, Mrs. Jules Darby's sister who never married. There were good times and lots of laughter at the Darby Store.** Alton and Lucille enjoyed taking Beulah Barras out to dinner. She also enjoyed going to the camp with the family. Beverly Darby was the Home Economics teacher at Arnaudville High School. Beverly exposed her students to many different things. The FHA conventions were a special experience. Lucille recalls being selected as the FHA Mother one year. She traveled with the group to the Bentley Hotel in Alexandria for the convention.

The Alton Olivier Camp was something people felt privileged to be invited to visit. That Camp came from a one-room schoolhouse which was located between Cecilia and Breaux Bridge on Highway 31, probably in the area of the Cecilia Elementary School. Lucille's father, Saul Broussard, bought the camp and moved it to Bayou Courtableu. Lucille enjoyed the camp and the many fun events that were held there. Lucille explained that it was something that Alton did with a group of men. But, mostly on Sundays, the ladies and children were invited to go too. The camp was a place where the men went to fish and hunt rabbits and deer. Delores states that her father took her two boys, Greg and Danny Gresko, hunting and fishing. That is at least three generations of camping fun. Delores tells of picnic baskets of food including fried chicken, a cooler of drinks and all-day fishing trips with her mother and father and her boyfriend Joe Gresko. There was no beer while on the water. That was one rule strictly followed. But, Delores continues: "When we got back, Daddy loved his beer."

The family was a peaceful and happy one. Although, Delores remembers days when her daddy went into the back yard and shot black birds which he would gather and pluck and then make gumbo.

Lucille tells of trips to New Orleans to visit her mother's mother, Celina Blanchard Tabor, who lived on Iberville Street in New Orleans. That is where Mrs. Broussard grew up and so Lucille would take her to visit her mother. Wherever Lucille went, she brought Jo Ann and Delores with her. The group traveled to New Orleans often. There were also trips to Port Arthur where Lucille's twin sister Lucy lived and also her oldest sister Myrtle, Mrs. John Fontenot. Lucille would bring her mother and also her mother-in-law to Port Arthur. Her mother-in-law had sisters who also lived in Port Arthur. Jo Ann and Delores were frequent travelers. Lucille was the driver.

Lucille also enjoyed teaching others in the family how to drive. Jo Ann and Delores were placed in the back seat of the car during the many driving lessons. This was before car seats and seat belts. Lucille would bring the student drivers to back roads with little or no traffic. Maud Olivier Courville, Georgie Olivier Savoy and Beverly Meche LaGrange were some of her students.

Everyone who sees Lucille Olivier cannot believe that she will soon be 97 years old. Her daughters complain that people think she is their sister, something that both do not like to hear! When asked about her skin care, she said that she likes Avon Moisturizer. When asked about her habits and why she believes she is in such remarkable shape, Lucille says: "I do not know." What does she like to eat? She quickly answers: "Crab, any kind of seafood, even raw oysters." Her favorite meal would be Stuffed Crab.

Jo Ann and Charlie Miller had two daughters, Charmaine Ann first married Craig Kimball. They had one child, Taylor Kimball. Taylor is the father of Tripp and Tessa Kimball. Charmaine is now married to Kendall Mosing.

Anneysa Lucille married Thomas Acie Vidrine, who is now deceased. They had three children: Charles Thomas, Isis and Gabriel Vidrine.

Delores and Joe Gresko had five children:

• Justine first married Bob Roddie and they had two children: Lauren married Chris Garvey and they are the parents of Harper Rose and Wyatt. Justine's second child is Eric Roddie. Justine is currently married to Wayne Davis.
• Daniel "Danny" first married Lisa Dore. They had one child, Heather. Heather married Coby Gaspard. Heather is the mother of Addie Bell. Danny is currently married to Sheila Fruge Gresko, daughter of Pete Fruge and Doris Kidder. Danny and Sheila have three children: Blake; Blaire, married to Michael Meche, and they have one son, Nathan Joseph; and Brodie is married to Victoria Lemelle.
• Gregory "Greg" first wife was Darla Cotner and they had one child, Forest. Forest is married to Elizabeth Padron and they have two children, Logan and Hunter. Greg is now married to Christine "Tina" Lecombe and they are the parents of three children: Madelyne Grace, followed by Hayden John and Ethan Jacob.
• Seems like there is always sadness. The fourth child of Delores and Joe, was Christopher Alton Gresko. He lived only one day. He was born on November 4, 1969 and died on November 5, 1969.
• Christie married Jeff Simoneaux. They are the parents of Anna Bella, but, the next child is another heartache. Christie and Jeff's second child was named Jason Cade Simoneaux. He was stillborn but never forgotten. Next came Sophia Cadence and Luke Olivier Simoneaux.
  

As you can tell, there are lots of males in Delores' family. The following picture shows all of the guys, including those wonderful in-laws.

Adjustment to losing Alton is difficult. Lucille says: "You know you will be alone." She was living at home and then pneumonia required hospitalization. When she was released from the hospital, it was necessary for her to go into the nursing home. The illness cause memory loss and she explains that she does not remember the first two years in the nursing home.

Lucille likes living at the nursing home. She is alone in her room and says living at J. Michael Morrow is good. There are lots of activities and Lucille participates in everything. She is very active. Whenever you see Lucille, you will see a smile on her face and a sweet spirit. She is enjoying her life. She has learned a great deal and shares her knowledge and skills with many others. She knows how to love and many have loved and love her. Laughter rang from her childhood until now and it seems to come easy to her, Jo Ann and Delores and all of her family.

This story was written by Betty Arnaud Roy of the Nonco Foundation and Sandy Esteve. They are volunteers at J. Michael Morrow Nursing Home.