Sitting on a back porch swing for two, Sarah Theriot Voisin surveys her beloved gardens sitting next to an empty seat filled only with memories and the yard hat of her late husband. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was written before the recent announcement by the governor of the appointment of Sarah Voisin to the last position on the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. She will serve as a representative of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force. This will be the first in a series of articles introducing the new board.
Sarah Theriot Voisin’s California “Surfer Boy” Became Trusted Voice for Louisiana Seafood
by Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
You can’t miss the Voisin house on East Ellendale Drive in Houma. Angela Boudreaux (left) of Periwinkle Pink Gifts has been decorating the front door for Sarah for numerous years. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
Festive springtime decorations adorn the front door of the East Ellendale Drive home located on the outskirts of Houma, but walk around the house down the long driveway and the mood changes from festive to reflective.
Sitting on a back porch swing for two, Sarah Theriot Voisin surveys her beloved gardens sitting next to an empty seat filled only with memories and the yard hat of her late husband and strong voice of Louisiana Seafood – Michael C. Voisin.
Tears still come easily to her eyes as she remembers her husband more than two month after his unexpected death from a sudden heart illness.
A tireless champion for the industry and state he loved, she believes her husband would want her to move on and do whatever it takes to help Louisiana and its seafood community; she has decided to keep Mike’s memory alive by accepting that challenge.
A Longhaired California Surfer Boy
“How we met is kind of on interesting Louisiana story,” said Voisin sitting on the swing. “We met down on the bayou. My father was dating Mike’s widowed aunt. I met him when his dad and him came to visit the aunt while I was there with my dad to go swimming. It was then I first meet this cute beach boy with long gorgeous blonde hair, a true California surfer boy.”
Clowning around with Sarah’s little sister Alice, Mike was always taking care of somebody. Photo: Voisin Family Archives
Mike’s father Ernest was from Bayou Dularge, the same bayou where Sarah grew-up. When he was young he left for Hollywood to become a movie star, but instead met Mike’s mother Mary Shanahan, an Irish girl who came to California via New York.
Mike and his twin brother Steve, along with two sisters Saundra and Lorena, grew up in Torrance, close to the California shores of Redondo and Hermosa Beach.
Ernest Voisin was a sixth generation oysterman. He was also a self-taught engineer working in the aerospace industry while in California. There he was instrumental in building the landing gear for the lunar module.
A college yearbook photo from Nicholls State University shows Mike with the long hair Sarah loved. Photo: Voisin Family Archives
Upon his return to Louisiana, he ended up back in the oyster business after a failed attempt at shipbuilding left him more than $10,000 in debt. To pay back creditors, he went back into oystering and convinced Mike to come help.
“It was a little comical how he convinced Mike to come to Louisiana,” Sarah Voisin explained. “He told Mike he could work on the oyster boats during the day and ski behind the boat when they came in at night. The sad thing is that Mike believed him.”
At the time of their first meeting, Sarah Theriot – a Theriot from Theriot – was only 14. “Mike was 18, and was so shy he would hardly talk,” she said.
Not being allowed to date till she turned 16, Mike and Sarah would meet at family gatherings and parties where she would babysit the younger kids. After putting the kids to bed, they would sit and talk for hours.
First Date – A Magical Experience
“When I turned 16 Mike was so excited that he made me a cake for my birthday,” she said wiping a few tears from her eyes. “ Well actually he went out and bought it.”
Her dad had actually allowed them to start dating a few months shy of her 16th birthday so she wouldn’t miss out on her high school dances.
Mike was the muscle of the Voisin oystering operation. He did everything from working the boat –something he hated, filling the bags with oysters and making deliveries. Photo: Voisin Family Archives
“Our first real date was going to my high school homecoming and dance,” said the former dance squad member about that magical first date more than 40-years ago. “Mike loved football. I didn’t realize then that it was the perfect date for him.”
Mike joined his father Ernie (left) in the oyster business right out of high school. But it was when his twin brother Steve left Hawaii to join the business five years later that he found his true passion. Photo: Voisin Family Archives
Mike was the muscle of the Voisin oystering operation. He did everything from working the boat –something he hated, filling the bags with oysters and making deliveries. “I used to ride with him sometimes when he picked up loads,” she said.
“On weekends he would travel 30 miles from Houma to pick me up for a date,” she said with a wide smile breaking across her face. “We would then drive back to Houma for the date because there was nothing to do down on the Bayou. He then drove me back home and returned to Houma – 120 miles for a date, he was determined.”
Michael Voisin and Sarah Theriot were married April 8, 1975 – two days before his 22nd birthday – she was 17.
“I vowed that I would never marry anyone from Louisiana because I just knew I was related to everybody,” said the bayou beauty. “I figured my “California surfer boy” was safe. I told Mike later on when I found out we were actually related on our fathers sides of the family that if I had known we were related in any way “I would have dropped him like a hot potato.”
Thriving As an Oysterman
Ernie had turned oystering into Motivatit Seafoods – a company named after a thriving business he had operated in California.
Mike joined his father in the oyster business right out of high school. Photo: Mattbites.com
Mike joined his father in the oyster business right out of high school. But it was when his twin brother Steve left Hawaii to join the business five years later that he found his true passion.
Steve it turned out loved all the things Mike hated about the oyster business, so he was put in charge of the oyster beds and the boats while Mike took charge of the plant, office and became the face of Motivatit.
It was a perfect combination. A combination that continued till the day Mike died.
According to his widow, Mike started to become involved with various seafood organizations in the early years of their marriage. From there he became heavily involved with the politics of seafood.
Serving Every Community – Not Just Oysters
Voisin received his first appointment to a state board in the late 1970’s, keeping alive a family tradition of community service.
His dad had served on the city council and the board of Terrebonne General Hospital.
“I was pregnant with our youngest daughter and he had to make a trip to DC, “ said Sarah. “I told him that if I have this baby and you’re not here, we are getting a divorce. I went into labor while he was in D.C., but forced myself to stay up all night because I was determined not to have the baby till he got back. He made it home, and the baby actually did not come till a week later – and she was a big one.”
A memorial in the family dining room is filled with photos of Mike. Like his dad he served on the board of Terrebonne General Hospital. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
In 1983, a flood killed a majority of Louisiana’s oysters, leaving the industry dependent upon oysters from Texas and other states. “It was then he began to understand how the whole Gulf seafood industry is interdependent,” she said.
“Mike was a pretty logical guy. It did not take a whole lot to realize if you needed to get help, why not help everybody. When he was in Washington effecting laws, he was there fighting for everyone, not just the oysterman, or the shrimper, but everyone in the Gulf.”
She believes there are a lot of fictional ideas about Louisiana surfacing in recent years. “The ‘Swamp People’ image of Louisiana is not who we are,” she said. “Mike had the know how and guts to do what a lot of people were afraid or didn’t have the will to do.”
A Belief of Helping Others
In December of 1988 Mike and Sarah traveled with their children to the Atlanta temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints to be married forever and seal the family together.The Voisin children are (l-r) Kevin, Gregory, Sally, Sandy and Amy. Photo: Voisin Family Archives
Voisin was deeply religious. A member of The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, his basic belief was helping others. He believed when in the service of your fellow man, you are in the service of your God.
In December of 2012 Mike was given an honorary doctorate during commencement ceremonies ant Nicholls State University. According to his wife, “itan amazing day for the whole family.” Photo: Voisin Family Archives
“One of the reason’s I married Mike is because of how he talked about people when they were not around,” Sarah explained. “Mike never, never said anything behind a person’s back that he would not say to their face – and there were numerous times people deserved to be talked bad about. I knew this is the guy I wanted, someone that cared about people.”
In 1984 Voisin was instrumental in founding the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. He had served a number of years on a national fisheries promotion board and realized how beneficial it was for the entire industry.
“Mike had just served on this incredible board that promoted fisheries, not just oysters, but all seafood,” she explained as if her husband was sitting next to her. “Working with state politicians and the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, as well as his contacts from across the country, he was able to craft the independent board responsible for promoting and marketing the best tasting seafood in the world.”
Misinformation and Perception – The Need for Strong Seafood Board
According to her, he saw the importance of an independent board for the seafood community. In addition to being able to apply for both state and federal funding grants, it would be the credible voice for the seafood community during a crisis. “We all know the people of Louisiana know how to handle crisis after crisis after crisis,” she added.
One of the early challenges of the Seafood Board was to correct misinformation spread on the contamination of Gulf oysters with the e coli virus.
Sarah Voisin says she is honored by the Governor’s appointment. She looks forward to working closely with other board members to champion all Louisiana Seafood. According to her the the board is a “Gem of the State of Louisiana”. Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
Working through the seafood board, Mike and his dad were instrumental in getting the study done proving that the e coli bacteria thought to be in Gulf oysters was actually a menacing organism.
The study led by the father and son team also resulted in the post harvest process that remedied problems resulting from the organism.
Forty years sharing a roof with her husband has resulted in more than a passing interest and knowledge of issues facing both oyster and other seafood industries.
“The state and federal regulatory branches have gone way overboard on rules and regulations place on the seafood,” she explained like a political pro. “They are choking not only our industry, but our livelihood. We need the Seafood Board to be strong in order to fight for our fishermen and the seafood community.”
“The misperception from Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon remain yet today,” Sarah said about the board’s importance. “People continue to think that Louisiana seafood is tainted with pollution or oil, and that is just not true. We need the board to continue to educate the public on the safety and great taste of Louisiana seafood.”
“The board has been an incredible blessing for the seafood industry of Louisiana and the Gulf. It is more important today than when Mike helped establish it. It is the ‘Gem of the State of Louisiana’.”
Mike’s Legacy
“It is time for everyone else to stand up. It is time for everyone else to do their part,” said Voisin “Mike was a giant of a man who did way too much, but it is time for us to continue.”Photo: Ed Lallo/Louisiana Seafood News
Mike has left us a legacy explains Sarah while seated on the swing next to Mike’s gardening hat on her back porch swing.
He cared so deeply about Louisiana and the seafood industry. He was determined to make it the best ever by bringing as many people on board to accomplish that goal.
“It is time for everyone else to stand up. It is time for everyone else to do their part,” she said as her voice cracked and tears poured forth from redden eyes. “Mike was a giant of a man who did way too much, but it is time for us to continue. He showed the way of what is possible if everyone works together, instead of alone.”
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