The People Project:
Dr. George Anthon
By Ashley & Andrew LeSaicherre | February 23, 2022
Meet Dr. George Anthon!
George was raised in Hammond, the third of four children. He has one sister and two brothers. His father was a channel catfish farmer. George graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University then from Texas Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas in 1988. He came back to Hammond and was an associate for five years until he opened his own practice, Anthon Chiropractic Care, in 1993.
He met his wife, Gina, when he came home to visit while still in school in Texas. She was attending Southeastern and had been wearing his choir robe at church while he was away. They met at church, and she assumed he was an older guy who stopped coming to choir. They dated for less than a year and were married in 1991. They have four children, Stephen (25), Laura (23) and twin boys David and Jacob (21). They have two cats, Spirit and Linus.
George is the past President of the Chiropractic Association of Louisiana, a board member of the Hammond Housing Authority, a lifelong member of Hammond Kiwanis Club (being President twice) and on the board of First Christian Church to name a few of his community involvement endeavors.
We want to thank Dr. Anthon for spending some time with us and letting us get to know about his life and his love of the area.
Q: What led you to your current career?
A: When I was 5 years old in 1969, we went on a vacation to Biloxi and my mother injured her back. She laid around to try and make it feel better, but it never did. She went to the doctor and was referred to a neurologist. My aunt recommended she visit Dr. Gideon, a Chiropractor, and within a month she was back to normal. When we were kids, our chiropractor was our family doctor. It exposed me to this profession at a young age.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in the area, and what do you like to get there?
A: There are so many good restaurants in the area! I am going to go with a classic- the Kickin Chicken Salad at Mariner’s Inn. Also, the Lee's Chef Salad or their Chicken Salad, but whatever salad I order- I always get the honey mustard dressing. Some people like to try different types of wine. For me, I like to try honey mustard salad dressings. Some are sweet, some are spicy.
Q: What is your favorite childhood memory?
A: I have two great memories from childhood. When I was 13 years old, our Hammond baseball team was the first team to win the state championship. We went to the Little League Championship in Shreveport. When we came back there was a parade for the team. It was a big deal! The other memory: my dad converted a school bus into a mobile home. There was a shower, a kitchen the whole thing. We would go to Grand Isle and Lake Ramsey and have the best time.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: It is too cold in most of the places I want to travel to now. Maybe Key West because it is warm. I also want to do a mission trip somewhere to help others.
Q: What is your favorite movie? What is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
A: I like romantic comedies and non-fiction movies. Somewhere in Time is a good one. I once had to do a report on the movies A Shining Season and Brian's Song, I liked the message in those movies. My mom was a big Disney fan, so we probably saw one of those movies as my first movie theater experience.
Q: What advice would you give a group of people?
A: Be flexible. Always learn. Be curious. Try to help somebody else out.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: I would like to go to Maine and eat lobster like the locals. I want to prairie dog hunt in Colorado. I just want to try new things, and travel more when I retire.
Q: What is your favorite music or an artist or band that you would like to see?
A: I have been exposed to lots of music in my life. My sister was always playing piano and taught her whole life. So, I had heard lots of different types of music in piano form. When I met Gina, she exposed me to Opera and other types of music. But, if I am alone, I am listening to country music. Kathy Mattea was one of the best concerts I have seen. She came to the Columbia Theatre, it was great. I also enjoyed seeing Celtic Woman. But I would like to see Kenny Chesney perform or Taylor Swift before she was known.
Q: What current or former business makes you the most nostalgic about the area?
A: My dad was particular about restaurants he would eat at. There was a nice restaurant called Firelighter that we rarely ate at, but I remember that being a big deal. We would also eat at Murphy's Seafood and Ethel's. Ethel's had a slogan, "Home of the Worst Pizza" and I always thought that was such a bad marketing idea as a kid. They had good burgers.
Q: If you could choose one person to go to lunch with that you’ve never met, who is it?
A: I would say my great grandfather on my mom's side. He and his brother boarded a boat when they were 8 and 12 or 13 years old from Germany. I would like to ask him what was the situation like that they decided to make such a drastic change.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique that you love about the area?
A: I love our location. We are close to two big areas, but still have that small town feel. We are close to outdoor activities, but I can also take Gina to an opera and there are airports to go to other places nearby. It is really ideal. Also, we have a nice downtown through the hard work of past and present citizens.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: Mostly retired. Traveling more. Hunting and fishing.
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you (even friends or family)?
A: I was once nationally ranked number 3 in division B racquetball in the late 1990s. I was just playing with some friends, and one of them mentioned going to a tournament. I asked some questions, and I started playing in them and I did pretty good.
Q: What is a word or phrase that comes to mind when you think of the word “Home”?
A: Relax.
Q: If you could have a full-time staff member that is fully paid for, what would that be? (Chef, housekeeper, driver, coach, personal trainer, etc.)
A: I would want a chef to teach me how to cook different styles and how to make other things like sauces. Someone willing to teach, so I could learn from them.
Q: If you had to choose one type of cuisine to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
A: Seafood.
Q: What do you do when you are alone in your car?
A: I listen to Sirius's The Highway station or listen to the podcast, "Who is Driving Your Car". I tend to wait until I have a longer drive to listen to those.
Q: What is the last gift you gave and received?
A: The last gift I gave was birdseed to Gina for Valentine's Day. She developed the hobby of birdwatching during the pandemic. The last gift I received was a thermal monocular from my staff at Christmas.
Q: What are you known for?
A: Cooking for different groups. About 15 years ago, Gina found The Souper Bowl of Caring. On Super Bowl weekend, you make a soup and sell it and the profits you make go towards local food pantries. We made 30 gallons of chili this year! I also like to cook for the SLU Women's basketball and softball teams.
Q: What is your favorite 80s jam?
A: Anything by Tanya Tucker. I just loved her voice.
Q: If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
A: I would like to time travel to go back in time. I would like to see how things looked back then. And how people lived.
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: Cooking, racquetball, beekeeping, fishing of all types, hunting, I used to coach fastpitch girls' softball for many years, and my latest hobby is foraging wild mushrooms.
Q: What is your most commonly used emoji?
A: The kissing face to my wife.
Q: What is something you are most proud of?
A: Staying married for 30 years and raising four great kids.
Q: What two items would you take with you if you shipwrecked on a deserted island where food and water were taken care of?
A: A knife and something to provide shade.
Q: If you won the lottery, what would you purchase or spend money on?
A: Refurbish First Christian Church, a nice hunting camp on the Mississippi River and pay off Louisiana's state debts.
Q: What do you want your legacy to be?
A: That he did what he could to improve the community.
Dr. Anthon was nominated by Barry Chance
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