George Michel Haik Jr.

George Michel Haik, Jr., 92, of Slidell, Louisiana, died on January 10, 2024, after suffering a heart-attack three days prior. He was able to return home and was surrounded by his loving children, grandchildren, extended family, and friends during his last hours.

Born on September 20, 1931 to George M., Sr. and Irma Louise (Trascher) Haik (later, Morales) in New Orleans, he spent many summers visiting family in Bogalusa and New Iberia. George graduated from Southwest Louisiana Institute with a bachelor of science in chemistry. He attended Loyola University’s medical school for a short while, leaving to enter the Air Force at the end of the Korean War. While waiting for his commission in the Air Force, he was drafted into the medical corps of the US Army.

Following his stint in the Army, he returned home and started pursuing Darlene Dauth, whom he had met while home on leave from the Army. What followed was a years-long conversation in which George pled his case for marriage. Darlene eventually decided that George wasn’t all that bad and agreed to marry him in 1964 and settled in New Orleans. Darlene remained the love of his life and they raised three children together. They had been married for 48 years at the time of Darlene’s death in 2013.

George was a man of many career interests. After returning from the Army, he became a pharmaceutical rep, traveling the country to meet his clients. Most formidable of which, was the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. He later entered law school, then switched to an MBA program, finishing neither, much to Darlene’s chagrin.

In 1971, he and Darlene decided to move to the “country.” They found a quaint house in Slidell, Louisiana, and built a ballet studio for Darlene to teach in. Her students jokingly referred to George as, “Mr. Darlene.” George established Haik and Associates, a health and life insurance company, which he ran until 2012.

George was known as an incredible jokester, telling stories to acquaintances that were so outrageous that when he returned home, Darlene had already received phone calls from friends in the community. This usually earned him a stern look from Darlene, accompanied by a drawn out, “Geoooorge!”

Since his passing, many friends of his children have reached out to say how he was like a second father to them. George’s parents divorced when he was young and he was raised by a single mother at a time when that was very unique. Knowing what it was like to be without a father-figure, he was able to connect with those who needed that kind of guidance in their lives. 

George was preceded in death by his beloved Darlene, his parents, and his sister, Dolores Haik Dauth. He is survived by his children Nila (Eric Alexander), David (Margaret), and Stephen; grandchildren Emily (Jonathan Peach), Aidan, Marian, Jonathan, Avery, and Stephen; great-grandchildren Belisa, Aesclin, Tobin, and Talia.

The visitation will be held on Friday, February 16, 2024 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Slidell, Louisiana. The funeral Mass will follow at 11 a.m.

 

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