Whitney John “T-Whit” Matherne

Whitney John “T-Whit” Matherne, 88, a native of Bayou Blue and a resident of Houma, died at 11:50 a.m., Friday, Sept. 19, 2008. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to funeral time Monday at Chauvin Funeral Home. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel, with burial at St. Louis Cemetery in Bayou Blue. He is survived by one son, Maurice Matherne of Houma; two daughters, Suzanne Marie Matherne Folse of Houma and Charmaine Matherne McDurmond and husband Joseph E. McDurmond of Bayou Blue; three sisters, Thelma Matherne Trahan, Tessie Matherne Brownlee and Mona Matherne Boquet; and one grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nell Rita Bergeron Matherne; his parents, Loveless Matherne and Beulah Savoie Matherne; two brothers, Stephen Matherne and John Matherne, who died in infancy; two sisters, Isabelle Matherne Hebert and Elaine Hebert, who died in infancy. He was a retired restaurant owner and a member of Bayou Blue Methodist Church. He was a veteran who served in the U.S. Army’s 7th Armored Division during World War II. He joined the Army in November, 1941, and was serving in Europe on Christmas Day, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge when his unit was given a turkey. A French family agreed to cook the turkey, which Matherne arranged because he could speak French, talking to the frightened family in their cellar. They told him the turkey would be ready at noon, but before the soldiers could eat, the Germans began shelling their position and dog-fighting aircraft shot at each other overhead. It was the next day before anyone remembered the turkey. Matherne returned to Houma in August of 1945 and worked for Texaco for 18 years before going into the restaurant business. He retired five years ago.