Cecile Barras McKreth

Cecile Barras McKreth was born in 1908, to a family of sharecroppers in St. Martinville, Louisiana. As did thousands of seafood workers from south Louisiana, Cecile’s parents, Alcide Barras and Clemence Odalie Borel, brought their family to Biloxi in 1919, seeking work in the seafood industry.

For nine years, Cecile’s family lived in “the camps”, which were housing units provided by the factories for seafood workers. The family moved from the camps after the passing of her father from her father from tuberculosis caused by breathing shell dust from the oyster industry.

At the age of 13, Cecile began working at Southern Shell primarily sorting, heading and packing shrimp. To supplement her income, in the she would pick up domestic jobs, keeping house and caring for the Walter Nixon, Sr. and Paul Bradford families.

After marrying Joseph McKreth in the 1940s, her husband’s work brought them to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During WWII, Cecile served as one of the famous “Rosie the Riveters”. Moving back to Biloxi in 1947, Cecile and Joe purchased a home on Couevas Street, and she resumed her work at Southern Shell, continuing this work until the 1970s.

Though she never had children of her own, Cecile was a very loving and caring person. She extended her kindness to her nieces and nephews, even allowing the nieces from out of town to live with her during the week as they worked in Biloxi. She hosted baby showers for mothers in need and carried fruits and vegetables to friends.

Even when she was no longer able to live alone and moved into a nursing facility, Cecile would show her kindness by helping with wheelchairs, but what brought her the most joy was being able to speak her native Cajun French with other residents from southern Louisiana. She always brought happiness to those around her.

Cecile Barras McKreth passed away in 1988, but her legacy of caring and hard work in the seafood industry will always be remembered.