A tragic and tremendous loss for the entire Vidrine Family occurred Sunday morning, January 28, 2018, when the life of the late Jacky Olivier Vidrine came to end. Her enormous contribution to LA history and genealogy, and in particular, to the Vidrine Family, cannot be overstated. It is thanks to the work of Jacky and her husband Drouet for the bulk of Vidrine Family history that is now known. All research going forward about the Vidrine Family will be dependent upon and reference back to the scholarly research and writing she accomplished. It is Jacky’s book about the Vedrines-Vidrine Family in France (published the year I was born!) that inspired my own interest in genealogical and historical research about the Vidrine Family and made it possible for me to visit the sites of our ancestors in France that she first visited.

Interestingly, on the same morning that I received word that Jacky had died, I received this message on ancestry.com (as I often do) from a person seeking information about their roots in the Vidrine Family: “Hi! My name is N. Vidrine. I live in the UK. I am currently researching my family tree and was wondering if you could help at all? I am the granddaughter of N. Vidrine, my father is N. Vidrine. Nobody on my side has gone any further back than N. Vidrine (my great grandfather), but I am determined to find out a bit more. It would be lovely to hear from you! :)” It is only because of the work that Jacky first undertook that I was able to answer this person’s question about who their particular ancestors were and to share with them the wealth of information about the Vidrine Family that we now have.

Please pray for Jacky Olivier Vidrine’s soul and for her family that now morns her passing. May she rest in peace.

 

This is her Obituary:

VILLE PLATTE – Funeral services for Ms. Jacqueline “Jacky” Olivier Vidrine, 88, will be held Saturday February 3, 2018 at 11AM in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ville Platte, with burial to follow in the church cemetery.

Ms. Jacky, a resident of Ville Platte, passed away Sunday January 28, 2018 at her residence.

Jacqueline Olivier Vidrine, nee Jacqueline Elma Olivier, dit “Jacky” to her friends, was the widow of Drouet W. Vidrine (Sr.), and a noted historian and genealogist. Jacky graduated as valedictorian from Sacred Heart High School, and latter attained a bachelor’s degree cum laude from SLI (USL), as a member of Kappa Delta Phi and Sigma Kappa Delta. She is the published author of five major books on genealogy and Louisiana history, as well as numerous papers and articles. Jacky has been accepted into and done on-site source research in the archives of the Opelousas Post, New Orleans, Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Washington DC, Canada, France, and Mallorca, Spain. She collaborated on genetic research projects with Tulane and LSU. Jacky was a member of many professional societies, notable as a founding associate of the National Honor Society, elected president of the Louisiana State Historical Association, and a founding member of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). She was also appointed by the Governor as a member of the State of Louisiana’s Commission on Historical Records, and it’s commission on Cultural Resources.

Born on October 28, 1929 to Jacques Joseph Olivier (“Jake”) and Elma Veillon Olivier, Jacky is survived Cecile Olivier Daumueller of Freeburg IL, and six of Jacky’s seven children, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Children: Drouet Warren Vidrine (Jr.) and his wife Donna, of San Clemente, CA; Jacqueline Ann Therese Vidrine (“Jinx”) and her partner Peggy, of Mandeville, LA; Thomas Lucien Vidrine and his partner Charmaine, of Ambergris Caye, Belize; Nicole Marie Vidrine Kroeger and her husband Steve, of Fredricksburg, TX; Henri Jacques Vidrine and his partner Patrick (both deceased); Jean Phillipe Vidrine and his wife Shaun, of Ville Platte, LA; and Pierre Etienne Vidrine and his wife Shirlene, of Ville Platte, LA.

Grandchildren: Elizabeth “Libby” Vidrine-Storey; Drouet Warren Vidrine III; Paul Henri Vidrine; Valeska (Kroeger) Wells; Christy Angelle (Vidrine) Bauman; Nicholas Courtney Vidrine, John Travis Vidrine, Bonnie Ann (Vidrine) Isbell; Kinsey Adele Kroeger Aleski; Kyle John Kroeger; Max Eloi Vidrine; Tiffany Marie (Vidrine) Fontenot; Kirk Boone Kroeger; Bri Anna Vidrine; Michael Pierre Vidrine; and Christopher Jacques Vidrine

Great-Grandchildren: Isabel Jo St. John; Joseph Drake Seay; Acelyn Nicole Wells; Rio Thomas Vidrine-Storey; Noah Ryan Vidrine; Caedmon Andrew Wells; Katriel Rose Wells; Lyric Steven Wells; Jackson Brave Bauman (deceased); Wilder Oak Baumann; Selah Anders Baumann; Rose Marie Isbell; Ezekiel Freedom Kroeger; Evangeline Story Kroeger; Micah Justice Kroeger; Piper Marie Fontenot; Orielle Dior Aleski; Jean Travis Drouet Vidrine; Everly Brynn Vidrine; and Charlotte Anne Fontenot, Benaiah Robert Vidrine-Isbell.

Visitation will be held Friday, February 2, 2018 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a rosary being recited at 6:00 p.m., and will resume again Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 8:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sacred Heart Foundation or the Evangeline Parish Library.

The guestbook can be signed online at www.lavillefuneralhome.net

LaVille Funeral Home
2353 East Main St.
Ville Platte, LA 70586
337 363 1100