By David Ball
PORT ARTHUR — A local grocery pioneer passed away Monday, Oct. 27.
Roy Theriot, along with Bruce Thompson, Ed Hughes, Howard Hartfield and Johnnie Alford, each independent store owners, joined forces in order to keep advertising costs low and pool their purchasing power and began the Market Basket grocery chain in 1962.
Thompson said in the 45 years he worked with Theriot, he knew him to be an excellent grocer and a very good businessman.
“He was a good Christian and a fair-minded businessman, and he was a good example for everyone,” Thompson said. “He had a cheery and amusing personality. It was a privilege to work with him and the others who started Market Basket.”
Theriot began other businesses in addition to Market Basket and belonged to several organizations including the Rotary Club.
Fellow Rotarian, L.J. Romero simply called Theriot a “real, good guy.”
“He was a Rotarian since 1968 and president (of North Port Arthur Rotary) from 1986-1987,” Romero said. “We considered him the godfather of our fish fries with the first one we started. We used the space next to Energy Country Ford (the Sonic) to fry. We had so many cars, we weren’t cooking fast enough. He took some raw fish down Twin City Highway to The Brisket Room (a restaurant Theriot owned), fried them there, and returned quick. He kept everyone happy.”
Romero added Theriot would almost give away the fish he supplied to the Rotary. He and his wife, Flo, would host parties at their home on Cow Bayou and arrange Sunday bus trips to the race track in Sulphur, La.
“He was such a dynamic person. He and Flo were so helpful in everything. He was very active in the Rotary until his health gave way. Before then, he had a 100 percent attendance. He wanted to resign, but we kept him as an honorary member. He was a good Rotarian and a good person,” Romero said.
Ursula Lefkowitz knew Theriot through North Port Arthur Rotary and remembered his helpfulness.
“He was the one who brought me into Rotary. He was my mentor,” Lefkowitz said.
When her husband, Irving, died in 1985, Rotary was a men’s group. While she’d get a call any time there was anything pertaining to women, she wasn’t a full member.
“They didn’t want females until 1989. He made sure that I was the first female,” Lefkowitz said.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Oct. 31 at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Port Neches, 2006 Nall St. with Rev. Bennie Patillo officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a Vigil Service to begin at 5 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 30 at Levingston Funeral Home in Port Neches, 2001 Nall St.
Staff writer Darragh Doiron contributed to this article.
