MADISONVILLE, La. (WGNO) – Members of the Saints organization including Joe Vitt and Jay Romig, and WWL outdoors guy Don Dubuc are just some of the big names who attended Hokie Gajan’s visitation and funeral in Madisonville Friday.
The former Saint, LSU Tiger, and WWL Radio color commentator died Monday peacefully after a short battle with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.
“I love him, and I know he loves me back,” Gajan’s son-in-law Brandon Mier said. “We had a little bit of a tough relationship at times. I’m married to the oldest daughter, so you know it was never ‘I love you come over here and give me a hug type of deal.”
We spoke with Gajan’s son-in-law before visitation began.
“He’d want to be remembered exactly like today; we are in blue jeans and t-shirts.
“We did a balloon release a couple of days ago, and we sat back last night and had a little family gathering laughing. In his mind he’d say, ‘you know what, this is over, let’s get on out of here, the pity party’s over.”
At the balloon release Wednesday, Danielle Rodrigue said, “I don’t want tears; I want tears of joy if anything. He was a good man.”
Hokie Gajan was a lifelong Louisiana resident who started his football career in the 1970s playing for Baker High School.
He went on to play football for the LSU Tigers and was drafted by the Saints in 1981 and played until 1985. Gajan went on to be a scout for the Saints after his retirement from professional football in 1987.
In 2000, he became the color analyst for Saints games on WWL Radio. He was a fixture in the broadcast booth for the last 15 years.
Gajan leaves behind his wife and four daughters.
He was 56-years-old.
Gajan’s visitation began at the St. Anselm Catholic Church in Madisonville at 10 a.m.
Eulogies are expected to begin at 2:30 p.m. followed by a funeral mass at 3 p.m.