Cliffic Andrew Guidry, Sr., was the fourth child born to Whitney and Sarah Ada Guidry. His sunrise was on a Thursday, March 11, 1937 at 9:30 am in Gosse Isle, Abbeville Vermilion Parish, LA. His nicknames growing up were "Wrong Hand" and "South Paw" due to being left-handed. He Also, acquired other nicknames such as "Red" due to his red hair, freckles, and complexion. Growing up, he worked a lot with his father cutting grass on weekends in Port Arthur. He also worked at Freeman Pharmacy, he enjoyed bringing home a hamburger and a malt for his father's enjoyment. Cliffic and his brother Charles worked in the Gulf Oil break room selling soda water during adolescence. In the summer, enjoyed working as a lifeguard at Lincoln high school. Cliffic exceled in Mathematics and would be his father's right-hand man in calculating investments in the 1960s, and other financial decisions.

He was a mathematical genius and superb in other subjects.  His parents had a tremendous influence on his academics, growth, and achievements. In high school, his interests were math and band. He enjoyed jazz and blues which started from his love of playing the trombone. In college, he continued his band career but also joined ROTC. Due to his mathematical talents, he adopted an entrepreneurial spirit which led to business ventures and opportunities.

He attended Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas; Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas; Joann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany; and the University of Texas in El Paso, Texas.

Cliffic was athletic and enjoyed sports. His two main sport included swimming and Basketball. Even into his 70's, he swam at the local YMCA in Port Arthur, TX as well as the 24-hour fitness gym when he moved to Houston, TX. Over the years, he taught his siblings, kids, and grandkids how to swim. His kids have fond memories of him throwing them into the pool and telling them, "You got this—just swim up to the top and move your arms and legs… you got this..." In the army he played basketball and gain the nickname "bone crusher."  He often told tales of being the teams secret weapon in the paint.

Cliffic had a core belief in getting an education because regardless of discrimination intelligence cannot be taken away. In his own words, "one thing about the world is you get something, you learn it, but repetition make you an expert, a teacher can only give you the knowledge, but it is up to you to understand."  He often preached to family, friends, neighborhood kids, strangers, and whoever would listen to him, that getting a good education should be your top priority. He often stressed that education would bring opportunities, He loved hearing about everyone's accomplishments, goals, business adventures, etc. Cliffic was a conversationist that main goal is to hear, see, and encourage. He enjoyed educating, advising, and guiding anyone to learn as much as you can in life. His motto was "Never be afraid and always try. Never use the word "never" and never say "I can't." He was a people person; he loved to socialize, be a boss, and help others.

Military Experience

Cliffic, served in the US Army in ordnance administration in Germany in the early 1960s. While there, he loved playing the Trombone and Trumpet in a German Polka Pub. Later, he completed his college education as a veteran. With a business degree and certification in manufacturing engineering, CMFGE, he maintained dual careers as a businessman and engineer while living in Houston. At Hughes Tools, he started at an entry level engineer and climbed to a status position in administration, which allowed him to travel worldwide. While acting in supervisory positions, Cliffic was active in designing and building offshore oil equipment. He also was the initiator in growing Hughes Tools companies, departments, and new products development. He continued this for 30 years before retiring.

Cliffic was also a member of the Houston chapter of Manufacturing Engineers. In the mid-80s, he was the President, of the Society of Carbide and Tool Engineers, Houston Chapter. In 1992, he returned to his hometown of Port Arthur as the President of the marine and industrial machine work company, "Gulf Copper Machine Corporation."

Educator

As an educator, in the 1970s and 1980s, Cliffic taught Manufacturing Processes in the vocational schools of the University of Houston and Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas. In 1997, he became a vocational teacher for the Windham School District, Texas Department of Criminal Justice at the Mark Style Unit in Beaumont, Texas. He taught CAD CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing) to male inmate students. He retired in February 2001.

Accomplishments

On May 15, 1965, Cliffic and Ethelyn Beal Guidry got married and had six kids together. As a businessman and entrepreneur, together with his wife, Cliffic and Ethelyn owned real estate, rental properties, a daycare center, and, to his great pride, a furniture store. "Guidry's Unique Home Furnishers" opened for business on February 9, 1970. In the early 1970s, the location of this business was an achievement in itself. The quaint shop in West University Place was in the unique Weslayan Shopping Center just off the Southwest Freeway. Cliffic's and Ethelyn's shop was featured in the Houston Post and the Forward Times as a black business in a white community.

When it came to his children, Cliffic believed in being a "Great Father and Family Man." Cliffic was once given the honor of "Mother of the Year" when the kids attended Girl Scouts for the greater Houston area.

From Cliffic's perspective, his greatest achievement was his children. During the summers, they would take the children camping to expose them to travel and cleverly used it as a way to build family bonding time. The camps included Camp Toledo, Lake Livingston, and Alabama Coushatta Indian Reservation. The kids often became junior forest rangers. Cliffic and Ethelyn often stated to the kids, "I don't care what you all do in life as long as you all become a doctor" So, they almost got their wish…each of his children chose the medical field for their vocation. Two medical doctors, two pharmacists, a nurse, and a radiology technician.

His family now includes his present wife, Carolyn Guidry, Ph.D and her son, a professional truck driver and accomplish music producer. Carolyn and Cliffic traveled the world, from Venice Italy, New York, Spain, Alaska and several cruises. One of their fondest memories even included being snowed in from a 100-year-old blizzard in Lake Tahoe. He and Carolyn enjoyed traveling and owned CG Travel company.

Cliffic A. Guidry departed his life on December 28, 2023 at 4:01pm. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ethelyn Beal Guidry, daughter Ursula Crommie Guidry, his parents, Whitney and Sarah Ada Guidry, his brothers, James (Eunice), Raymond (Marilyn), Wilbert, Calvin, and sister Flora (Amos Shaw).

Family here to cherish his memories: His wife, Carolyn Edwards Guidry, stepson Derek Edwards, his children, Harold Taylor (Melissa Taylor), Monique Ledet Guidry, Erika Guidry (John Sadler), Cliffic Guidry Jr. (Jenee Guidry), Nicole Guidry and his son-in-love Michael Crommie. Grandkids, Joshua Crommie, Gabriel Crommie, Danielle Criddle, Domonique Criddle, Taylor Criddle, Joseph Ledet III, Erik Alexander, Hannah Sadler, Nadia Sadler, BJ Dennis, Cliffic Guidry III, Caitlin Guidry, Carryn Guidry, Teigan Guidry. Great-Grandson Kai Andrew Alexander; sister Gloria Spikes; brothers Charles Guidry (Linda) and Melvin Guidry (Clarissa) and sister-in-love Marcella Guidry (Wilbert); Heritage Meyerland family, and caregiver Maria Luevanos.

Cliffic dedicated his life to family first, education, storytelling, laughing, smiling, dancing, enjoying life, socializing, his love of people, sweets, and Blue Bell ice cream….