PilotThe Cameron Parish 35¢ June 21, 2007 Vol. 50--No. 37 Cameron, La. 70631 THIS HISTORIC photo was taken from the second or third floor of the Cameron Courthouse on June 27, 1957, the day that Hurricane Audrey devastated Cameron Parish. Several hundred persons in the courthouse survived but about 500 others else- where in the parish perished. This photo was taken by the late Hadley Fontenot, who was Cameron’s county agent at the time. Audrey’s 50th anniversary will be observed Wednesday, June 27 in ceremonies at the courthouse. Audrey’s 50th anniversary to be observed here June 27th By CYNDI SELLERS Hurricane Audrey book; Cameron Parish Library - his- Even as Cameron Parish torical photos; Cameron Pilot struggles to recover from the - archival materials including effects of Hurricane Rita, the the first issue after the storm; tragic and devastating impact KPLC-TV - documentaries of Hurricane Audrey in 1957 and film clips; and the has not been forgotten. On National Hurricane Museum Wednesday, June 27, the and Science Center. parish will commemorate the Corporate sponsors of the 50th anniversary of the dead- commemoration are Cheniere ly storm, which claimed over LNG, Sempra Energy, and 400 lives. Cameron Communications. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on the steps of the Cameron Court House, Oak Grove which sheltered hundreds from the fury of the storm. A speaker told light lunch will be served Brigadier General after the program, and dis- plays of hurricane informa- Robert J. LeBlanc Rev. John Reynolds will be tion, books, and memorabilia guest speaker at Oak Grove will be available for viewing. a combined choir and musi- Baptist Church Sunday, June In addition, a videographer cians, with a solo by Larry 24, at 10:30 a.m., according to will be on hand to record first- Dyson, former Cameron resi- Rev. Jay Van Horn. hand stories of Hurricane dent and Audrey survivor. Rev. Reynolds is a former Audrey for future genera- Past Civil Defense pastor of the church. The pub- tions. Booths will be open Directors will be honored for lic is invited to attend with a THERE WAS a full house of parishioners and visitors at the rededication and bless- until 2 p.m. their efforts to protect the dinner on the grounds follow- ing of St. Eugene Catholic Church in Grand Chenier, Saturday, June 16. The church was Brigadier General Robert people of Cameron Parish ing the service. badly damaged by Hurricane Rita in September, 2005. Joseph LeBlanc will be the over the years. Police Jury For more information call (Photo courtesy of Morris LeBleu.) guest speaker, sharing his President Darryl Farque and 542-4731 or 542-4747. personal experiences of the Office of Emergency storm. Judge H. Ward Preparedness Director Clifton Fontenot will be the master of Hebert will welcome and Cheniere bill to give Cattlemen ceremonies. Rev. Wallace introduce guests. Meeting set Primeaux, Jr., Audrey sur- Displays to be set up in the to discuss vivor and former pastor of tent include: National The Grand Lake - parish $2.6 million Oak Grove Baptist Church, Weather Service - Hurricane Sweetlake Action Alliance reentry plans will give the invocation, and Audrey statistics and compar- meeting will be held July 5 at Msgr. Harry Greig, Diocese of ison to Hurricane Rita; book 6 p.m. at the Grand Lake By ELONA WESTON of the 10 years. Lake Charles, will give the signings by authors Cathy Fireman Center. All members (American Press) Cheniere Energy has a The Cameron Parish benediction. Post and Nola Mae Ross; are urged to attend and the history of donating money in Cattlemen Association will Music will be provided by American Press - new public is invited. A House bill allowing Cameron Parish. In 2005, in hold a meeting on Thursday, Cameron Parish to grant response to Rita, the company June 28, at the LSU AgCenter future ad valorem tax credits donated more than $500,000 office in Calcasieu Parish at based on prior tax collections to fund seven fully furnished 6:30 p.m. was favored by a Senate classroom buildings to house The meeting will be to dis- An Audrey story--‘sit up straight’ Committee on Monday. the students of Johnson cuss the Cameron Parish House Bill 567, by Rep. Bayou School. Hurricane Re-Entry Plan for Mickey Frith, D-Abbeville, A similar bill has been cattle producers. (EDITOR’S NOTE--One they had three girls. After a vide burial for the unidenti- now heads to the Senate floor filed by Sen. Jerry All cattle producers will of the most moving stories while the children moved fied while keeping a record of for debate. Theunissen, R-Jennings. need to be a member of the to come out of Hurricane away to places as far as clues–such as It has already been Cameron Cattlemen Audrey was this one writ- California. But Frank liked to fingerprints–that might lead approved by House members. Association to be able to re- ten about Frank Reed of have a houseful of his own to identification later, and Frith said the legislation enter after a hurricane to Grand Chenier and his grandchildren with him for private re-burial. became necessary when check on their cattle. Sheriff grandchildren. Mrs. the summer. Two group services were Cheniere Energy Inc.--which G. Chenier Theos Duhon will be present Harrison, the writer, wrote Five of those grandchil- scheduled. There was still no is building a liquefied natural to discuss the parish plan. the news of the black com- dren were with him in the firm figure on the unidenti- gas faclity in western church plans Any producer will be able munity for the Pilot for roomy old house on his 80 fer- fied dead. Cameron Parish--offered to to join the Cameron many years. The article tile acres on June 27. Two had But as the hastily built pay its ad valorem taxes 10 dedication Cattlemen Association at this originally appeared in the arrived the day before from coffins were lowered into years in advance. meeting. Please make every Sept. 13, 1957 issue of the San Francisco. trenches, it was easy to forget Geoffrey Emerson of effort to attend this meeting Pilot.) Today Frank Reed lay in a that each individual had an Cheniere Energy told the Grand Chenier United to learn about the Cameron coffin clasping the body of a 4- history, and family ties, more Senate Committee on Methodist Church will dedi- Parish Cattlemen Hurricane By MRS. LEE J. year-old Frank Reed III. The or less like Frank Reed’s. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs cate its restored building on Re-Entry Plan. HARRISON other grandchildren were Actually, his long life had that the advance payment Sunday, July 15. Lunch will For more information dead, too, and so was their touched the lives of most of will aid Cameron Parish in its be served at noon followed by please contact the Cameron Frank Reed stood 6 feet 2, grandmother. From Gal- the others. So if you knew hurricane recovery. a dedication service at 2 p.m. Parish LSU AgCenter office weighed 210 pounds, had a veston and Lake Charles, and something about Frank Reed The taxes will mean an Bishop Bill Hutchinson, at 905-1318. shock of white hair and was from the far west coast, the you knew something about infusion of $2.6 million into Louisiana Annual Conference fond of saying of his nine sons, Reed children came to mourn. most of those who lived and the local economy “so that the of the United Methodist “I have my own baseball This was a day for funer- died in the remote marshland recovery from the hurricane Church, will bring the mes- team.” als, individual and collective. rimming the Gulf of Mexico. can commence immediately,” sage. He was born in Grand The community sought to pro- Emerson said. Rev. James Moore, pastor Chenier, in 1881, when it was Cont. on Page 10 Cheniere has asked for an of Grand Chenier UMC, all farming and fishing–none ad valorem tax credit based invites everyone to come eat of this latter-day offshore oil on prior collections at the end and visit before the service. business. When he was 21, he mar- ried Jeanette Jones, who was only 14. Besides their boys, THE MOST REV. Glen John Provost, Bishop of Lake ABOVE IS the plaque at the base of a statue that Charles, is shown rededicating and blessing St. Eugene marks a mass grave in Highland Memory Gardens, a Catholic Church in Grand Chenier on Saturday, June 16. Lake Charles cemetery, where a number of unidentified The church was badly damaged by Hurricane Rita in victims of Hurricane Audrey were buried following the September, 2005. (Photo courtesy of Morris LeBleu.) June 27, 1957 storm. At right is the statue. Page 2, The Cameron Parish Pilot, Cameron, La., June 21, 2007 Counseling Funerals with grief ROLAND JAMES Delores Miller of Cameron is offered and Royce Miller of Houston; LEBOEUF one daughter, Roxann and That Tidal Surge of loss husband Buddy Buller of has come and gone. Now I’m Funeral services for Westlake; nine grandchil- left with grief. How do I Roland “Joe” LeBoeuf were dren; 24 great-grandchildren; recover from my loss? What held Monday, June 18, from and two great-great-grand- do I do? St. Anne Catholic Church. sons; one brother, Michael You’re going to go through Father Manger officiated. Lawrence; and one sister, the seasons of loss; it’s Burial was in St. Mary Martha Langley. inevitable. You’re going to Cemetery in Orange, Tex.