Dee Dee won’t ever be able to answer anyone’s questions. All there will be is Gypsy’s story (Michelle Dean, 2016)
Clauddine Ann Pitre, affectionately called “Dee Dee” was born on May 3, 1967, in Chackbay, Louisiana, United States, a small town located approximately an hour from New Orleans. She was the youngest of six children born to Claude Anthony Pitre Sr. and Emma Lois Gisclair.
Emma and Claude
Dee Dee and her five older siblings – (Anthony) Claude Jr., Tate, Evans, Claudia, and Dorla – were raised in Golden Meadow, Louisiana, a small Cajun town, nestled along the Bayou, known for its strong ties to the fishing and seafood industries. According to her brother Evans, Dee Dee’s arrival was met with unexpected concern; “She came along with all these sicknesses, heart murmur and stuff like that”(Gypsy’s Revenge, 2018). This revelation reportedly came as a surprise to their father, Claude Sr., who believed his youngest child had been born healthy until Emma returned home from the hospital with news of Dee Dee’s medical issues.
Dee Dee Pitre as a baby
As was common in that era, Emma remained at home to care for the children, while Claude Sr. worked as a boat captain to support the family. However, according to Claude Sr., Emma’s behaviour behind closed doors was troubling. He described her as “a shoplifter and all kind of stuff,” adding, “I don’t know how many times she had to go to court for shoplifting and other things”(Mommy Dead and Dearest, 2017). Claude also accused Emma of financial misconduct, claiming she stole “three or four thousand dollars from my daddy.” Claude’s second wife, Laura, echoed these sentiments, recalling, “She’d go to the washeteria and steal people’s clothes” (Mommy Dead and Dearest, 2017). To date, no evidence has been shown to substantiate these claims.
screenshots of Gypsy’s medical records, it includes details pertaining to Dee Dee’s family medical history, presumably provided by Dee Dee herself. Among the conditions noted is beta thalassemia—a hereditary blood disorder that impairs hemoglobin production and leads to chronic anemia. All references to Gypsy’s medical records cited throughout this website are sourced from The Good Wives’ Network.
Dee Dee spent much of her childhood under the constant care and attention of her devoted mother, Emma. Due to her reported health issues, Dee Dee was not permitted to engage in physical activities, so outdoor play and other energetic pursuits were strictly off-limits for Emma’s delicate, “frail” Dee Dee.
Dee Dee’s sister, Dorla, recalls that she and the other siblings were often sent outside to provide Dee Dee with the quiet and rest their mother believed she needed. Emma would tell them, “Your sister’s not feeling good. Your sister’s got an upset stomach. She’s got a headache. Y’all play outside. Be quiet. Leave her alone.” (Gypsy’s Revenge, 2018).
The death of Emma’s final child, a son named Todd, who passed away just hours after his birth on November 22, 1969, likely intensified her overprotectiveness toward Dee Dee. Dorla remembers that Dee Dee was constantly by their mother’s side, like a shadow, rarely out of her sight. She reflects that it seemed Emma didn’t want Dee Dee to grow up and leave her, “so that she would always have her to hold on to.” (Gypsy’s Revenge, 2018).
And all the while, little Dee Dee Pitre was watching and learning.
