Debra Rae Mikulik Gautreaux

Debra Rae Mikulik Gautreaux, born on Wednesday, January 12, 1955, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2020 at her home while being hugged by her high school sweetheart and loving husband of nearly 43 years, James (Jimmy) Henry Gautreaux, and her daughter and best friend Jamie.

She was a beautiful person who loved and treasured her family and friends so dearly and was loved the same by them. She leaves behind the loves of her life, husband Jimmy whom she met just after she turned 16 years old, son Christopher James (Cynthia), daughter Jamie Elizabeth, son Ryan Jeffrey (Stephanie), and her grandson Linus James. Her grandson gave her continuous joy and laughter. Every interaction left her in awe and amazement as she watched him grow whether it was from in-person interactions on vacation visits or over nightly FaceTime dates.

Debbie loved and adored her furry family members. Tucker, aka Baby Tuck, was her 5 lb. black and gold Yorkie Grandpuppy of 15 ½ years who recently passed away on February 24, 2020. Tucker has been waiting to greet her and they are now joyfully reunited, ready to comfort each other and continue their unbreakable bond. Debbie also cherished her time spent with CocoPuff, also deceased, a little sable-colored ferret whose limitless energy and charming antics created non-stop laughter and endless smiles with every encounter.

Although her sons and daughters-in-law lived out of town, Chris and Cynthia in Destin, FL and Ryan and Stephanie in Norway, she talked to and FaceTime’d with them several times every week. Her daughter Jamie still lives locally in New Orleans and their ‘best friends’ bond gave Debra so much happiness.

Debra loved her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Mikulik (both deceased). She had a special love for her mother Rae Mikulik. She loved her sisters Cynthia Zuppardo and Sharon Duclaux dearly and her brothers-in law Peter and Sean, respectively. She was the daughter-in-law of Joseph and Mary Gautreaux (both deceased), and she loved her mother-in-law Mary aka “Nanny” like she was her own mother. She loved her brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Dr. Joseph M. Gautreaux III and George Richard Gautreaux aka Dick (Nancy). She dearly loved her nieces, nephews, cousins, God children, and relatives through marriage.

Debra enjoyed her childhood memories growing up on Spain St. and working at her aunt and uncle’s florist shop, E. A. Farley’s Florists, Inc. with her sister Cindy and cousins Novel, Robert, and Linda. They all managed to maintain their strong relationships as they grew up and had their own families, which was a continuous source of happiness, good times, and support for Debbie through each special relationship she formed with her cousins’ spouses and children. Never losing her childhood passion for flowers, Debra loved picking out and then tending to the plants and flowers in her garden– especially her favorite flowers, pansies.

Debbie was fortunate to have 11 special friends, the Bunco Babes, who amazingly stayed together over 25 years and who are always showing love and kindness to one another in time of need. Debbie always looked forward to spending time with them and the special memories and inevitable laughs they always had whenever she was in their company.

Debra attended St. Raphael Grammar School and was a proud Mount Carmel Academy graduate (’72). When Debbie was a senior at Mt. Carmel in the Fall of ’71, she joined the Brother Martin High School dance team, the Saderettes. In early ’72, she was honored by being voted the title of “Company Favorite” for Brother Martin’s Military Ball. She then went on to become a Registered Nurse who got her degree from the LSU School of Nursing. She worked at East Jefferson General Hospital, a dermatology office, and a pediatrician’s office in her career. Later, she was a nurse and nanny to a terrific baby boy, Oliver Sobrino, until he was 11 years old. She considered him to be like her fourth child as he was just like a member of her family.

Debra was a Room Mother during her three children’s time at Memorial Baptist Pre-School. Daisy and Brownie Girl Scout Troop Leader, a Homeroom Mom, and lunchroom volunteer at St. Ann’s Catholic School in Metairie. She also operated the annual Roll Down Fair Booth as Co-Captain with her loving and considerate friend, Donna Despommier, whom she met 35 years ago when their oldest children started pre-school together.

Debbie continued to be active in her children’s school communities by volunteering and fundraising at Mount Carmel Academy. Most notably, she ran a Fall Fest Booth for a couple of years and was the head chair, coordinator, and spokeswoman for the 2003 Mother-Daughter Dinner. She also worked a booth at the Brother Martin Fair together with her friend from high school, Lori Lambert.

She really enjoyed planning annual vacations for the family when the children were younger, experiencing new traditions in new locations traveling across the United States together. Debbie also loved going on family vacations with her two sisters’ families each summer to Destin, FL and did not object when her son and daughter-in-law moved there one block away from the beach. She enjoyed going on cruises to any tropical island beach with her husband, her sister Cindy and brother-in-law Peter, and friends Connie and Tommy DeGenova. She loved going on cruises with just the girls as well. She loved dancing till the late hours on every cruise.

Debbie’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. She loved the changing of the leaves, pumpkins, fall colors, and turkeys. Debra enjoyed decorating for all holidays and was well-known for her collection and expert-level décor displays of her Dept. 56 Christmas Snow Village Collection. Neighbors, family, and friends would come by and observe her final creation as they sipped eggnog and enjoyed her handiwork. Two of her favorite holiday family traditions were Christmas Eve parties in Covington with her husband’s side of the family and going to the French Market to choose a Halloween pumpkin with her kids, sisters, nieces, and nephews. Debra also looked forward each year to catching the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Metairie Rd. while going to her sister Cindy’s house party before and after the parade.

Debra loved to cook and the people in her life loved to eat whatever latest delicious dish she crafted in her kitchen. She learned to cook side by side with her mother making French and Italian cuisine with Czechoslovakian influences from her father’s side. She learned to cook delicious Southern Georgia meals sitting on a back porch in small town Waycross, Georgia watching her mother-in-law Nanny and grandmother-in-law Great Nanny cook Country Fried Steak, fried chicken, butter beans and okra, mashed potatoes with country gravy, and corn bread. Without fail, when her children came to town, they requested she cook a Country Fried Steak dinner, and she always did to perfection. She enjoyed great holiday meals cooked by her mother and mother-in-law and in later years cooking holiday meals together with her sisters.

Debra was a true hometown New Orleans girl. Her favorite food was seafood gumbo. She never turned down a “Just the Girls, Not the Boys” Night of Mai Tai’s and Tiki Bowls at Five Happiness. She loved going shopping and walking around in the French Quarter with family and friends whether it was to Mr. B’s for barbeque shrimp; lunch at the Rib Room; or to get her signature Spicy Bloody Mary after securing a coveted seat at her favorite downtown spot, The Carousel Bar. Debbie was always up for an adventure and was someone you knew you’d have a good time with and were guaranteed smiles and belly laughs whenever she was around.

Ultimately, Debra’s life can be defined by the two words: Giving and Forgiving. She was such a caring, sincere, and honest friend. She maintained great relationships with her long-time neighbors. Her husband and children often told her that they could not have had a better wife and mother. This is because she was selfless, and she always made sure everyone was taken care of and that is what made her the loving and compassionate person that she was. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Services celebrating Debra’s life will be held on Wednesday, March 11, 2020, with Visitation from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. followed by a Mass in the Chapel at Lake Lawn Funeral Home. Her interment following the Mass will be at the Lake Lawn Mausoleum.

The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.lakelawnmetairie.com.