50 in 50: Avoyelles couple celebrates 50th anniversary in Alaska to complete 50 states

The other day...
By Donna Culotta

She retired from the school board finance office after 33 years; he handed over his AC and electrical business to son, Brody, after 35+ years. Suddenly they were free to pursue their bucket list: visit all 50 states.

Travis Ted, better known as TT Laborde, and his wife Mathilda, better known as Tillie, had always been travelers. Now they were travelers with a mission.

“The first trip we took together was to Houston on our honeymoon,” she said.

Little did Mathilda know that was just the beginning of how they would become expert pilgrims.

“When the children (Brody and Roxanne) were young we took them on trips,” she recalled.

These were obviously kid-driven destinations like the beach and Disney World.

Never forgetting her own state, Mathilda said,

“we visited every nook and cranny of Louisiana, we are history buffs and like museums.”

Louisiana travels also included the children and grands.

Their trips were small in the beginning, but “grew though time.”

Family ties fueled many miles

Part of the accomplishment of visiting 50 states was due to family in New Jersey as well as Iowa and Pennsylvania.

Then there was a “whole family trip to New York,” which included “The Big Apple,” where they experienced July 4th in all its fireworks glory.

Mathilda and TT were very organized about their trips to states.

“June and August was vacation time,” she began, “we’d figure out how much time we could travel, sometimes it was three weeks at a time.”

They might set a goal like, “five states this trip.”
Other times it was “a wing and a prayer, with ‘let’s start here.’”

Because they both loved the adventures traveling brought and with their natural curiosity about wherever they landed, the Laborde’s were tireless travelers.

“We always found hotels with laundry service. We stopped at Visitor Centers to find the things we like to do and see. It was always exciting because in each state we found something interesting.”

Watermelon in Maine & New England memories

One trip was to North and South Dakota, but because they could, Mathilda and TT just kept going west.

Taking in all of the New England states was a challenge and a goal.

“When we went to the northeast,” Mathilda said, “we took a watermelon from our garden to eat somewhere up there. When we stopped at a park to eat it, people were astonished. They asked us where did we find a watermelon, at that time, in Maine?”

Unfortunately, because she is allergic to seafood, Mathilda could not have fresh lobster plucked from the Atlantic Ocean.

“TT ate lobster, I had a steak,” she remarked.

“In Boston we went to the JFK (President John Fitzgerald Kennedy) Presidential library. It was very emotional for us: we were in high school when he was assassinated.”

The Final Two: Hawaii & Alaska

They saved Hawaii and Alaska for the last two states. Mathilda said Hawaii was expensive but she and TT had saved for the trip and spent eight days there.

“We dipped into the Pacific Ocean just to say we did,” she laughed.

Visiting Pearl Harbor was important because

“both our dads were in World War II.”

Then she added,

“It was very touching.”

Another WWII experience was at the National Cemetery of the Pacific, which is a military cemetery.

“When we visited, they were exhuming some remains to use forensics to identify the soldier.”

Eventually the fallen hero would be sent back to family.

Mathilda also said she had the “best pineapple ice cream,” and the traditional luau pig “definitely passed the Laborde’s Avoyelles cochon de lait standard.”

“It was one of my favorites.”

State #50 — an unforgettable anniversary

That left Alaska as the lone state on the bucket list that needed to be visited.

This past spring, the children announced, like an emcee on a game show,

“you’re going to Alaska!”

They would make the trip extra special by spending their 50th wedding anniversary in their 50th US state.

“We splurged,” Mathilda related, “we had been saving and took the railroad. We wanted a domed railroad car with an elevator and first class dining,”

“The people in Alaska were very nice, and the country is beautiful,” Mathilda reported, which was a great way to end their 50-states travel, “and complete our bucket list.”

Souvenirs from the heart

Mathilda added that they never bought souvenirs on their trips but would bring something back for the children and grandchild.

“Our souvenirs are in our heart and memory.”

Surely there was a favorite state?

Without hesitation she said,

“I always say Louisiana is my favorite state because of the culture, food and people.”