Gaston “Gator” Crittendon Doke was born and raised in Bastrop, Louisiana, the youngest in a family of five. His parents were wood craftsmen, making boats and beautiful bedroom-suite furniture. Gaston learned early and had a tremendous gift for creating items out of wood. He drew with precision and created beautiful art.
His parents wrestled alligators, and at 12, Gaston wrestled the largest gator on record for his county and won. The name “Gator” stuck.
At 21 years old, Sonya Blackwell laid eyes on him and was immediately drawn to him. They married and Gator took on Sonya’s two small boys, BJ and Jason, as his own. He was then a carpet installer and a good provider. He was Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, and he taught the boys to hunt, fish, and whittle. Gator had a wonderful, contagious sense of humor that children and people of all ages adored.