Friday, October 1, 2021
Remembering the Late Gov. Edwin W. Edwards in Sabine Parish
Part IX
The 90th Birthday Party
Baton Rouge – August 12, 2017
I served as chairman of both the 99th and 100th Birthday Parties for former Gov. Jimmie Davis in 1998 and 1999. Gov. Edwards attended both events and participated, and on several occasions thereafter when we would see each other, he talked about those parties.
I was in Shreveport one Sunday afternoon in the spring of 2016 when my phone rang and it was the man. He asked if I would serve as Chairman of the 90th Birthday Party he wished to have. His 90th birthday was upcoming Aug. 7, 2017. I was honored to be asked and told him I would be very happy to put it together. I saw him a few months later when he spoke at a Northwest Louisiana Technical College Gala in Bossier City on Sept. 8, 2016. He asked if I would start making plans for the party, and on Nov. 10 I sent him an outline of my thoughts. My wife, Laurie, who is gifted in event and graphic design, was interested also, and said she would be happy to help.
In early 2017 the Governor called, and he had set a meeting in Baton Rouge at Gino’s Restaurant for April 7. Laurie and I arrived and found former Secretary of State Jim Brown and Leo Honeycutt, who wrote the biography of Edwin, were also in on the meeting.
Almost before our server delivered waters to the table, Honeycutt began sharing what he would like to see at the event. He wanted a centerpiece of the party to be a trivia game, which he proposed he would lead by asking questions from the podium, featuring tidbits of Edwards’ life, and party-goers would raise their hands and be called on by Honeycutt to guess the correct answers. Edwin did not say a word, but his face said it all.
It was then the Governor announced he had earlier asked me to be Chairman, and that Laurie and I would decide all the details of the evening. The boys appeared to be rather taken aback.
During discussion of the event, both Brown and Honeycutt readily suggested any extra money taken in on the party should go toward a scholarship at LSU and they made some alternate proposals. In reading the Governor’s body language, I could tell that their suggestions did not appeal to him.
After the meeting Brown and Honeycutt left, and Edwin lingered to visit with me and Laurie. I told him, “Governor, this is your party. I want it to be exactly what you want it to be. You tell us what you want and that is the way we will do it. We, in no way, intend to overpower on any detail, so if we suggest something, and you do not want to do it, all you have to do is tell us and that will be fine.” He was very pleased. He said that was the way he would like to see it work, adding he wanted a full house and a fast-moving, to-the-point program. Needless to say, he did not invite Brown or Honeycutt to any future meetings.
The big event was set for Saturday, August 12, 2017, just five days past his milestone birthday. On April 20, along with Gov. Edwards, Trina and Eli, Laurie and I met with Tina Buckley at the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge to work out details for the event. It was agreed then we would have a joint press conference with Gov. John Bel Edwards the latter part of June at the Governor’s Office to announce the event. Laurie and I met that day with Gov. John Bel Edwards’ press office and got the go-ahead. Despite being promised by the Governor’s office that it would happen, the press event never materialized. More on that later.
Laurie had her hands full. During that time, I could always find her in our home office where she seemed to stay busy night and day. There was a lot to do and only a short time to do it. The days passed quickly in a whirlwind of letters, logos, invitations, procuring décor, a web site, booking talent and handling every other detail of a topnotch event. Most importantly, we needed to sell tickets.
We were told the ballroom could accommodate a crowd of about 515 persons maximum. By party day, 550 tickets had been sold, and some 575 persons were served that night, counting guests at the head tables. In fact, there was so much interest, we could have filled the place three times. Gov. Edwards was very pleased.
To pay for the event we sold sponsorships, and Laurie produced a beautiful 60-page special event magazine, writing much of its content. We had a photographer meet Edwin, Trina and Eli at the Governor’s Mansion to take official birthday portraits beforehand, a few of which we selected to have printed. The prints were included in the official birthday party favor bags, which also held a large commemorative art piece designed by Laurie as well as other items.
Additional event activities included a Facebook page, which we maintained with interesting photos and such, and an event web site Laurie designed and oversaw, which allowed folks to purchase tickets and sponsorships online.
During this flurry of activity, we stayed in close contact with Gov. Edwards and Trina. We met in Baton Rouge on occasion and exchanged a lot of email and phone calls. He kept his finger on the event and knew exactly what he wanted. He played a major part in helping us sell sponsorships and tickets.
On August 11, Laurie and I loaded a rental van to the roof with party supplies from Many, and we all headed for Baton Rouge so she and her assistants could start preparing the ballroom for the big night. Lauren Manasco Moore of Nichols was invaluable in helping source décor items. It turned out to be absolutely perfect, and everybody from the New York Times on down termed it a “swanky affair.”
Shanna Gaspard, now Director of the Sabine Chamber of Commerce, served as Laurie’s right hand, and we had others who helped, including Alyssa Collins, Verity Gentry, Jody and Jayden Gentry, and Brandon Bell. Everyone was a valuable team player, doing whatever needed to be done to be sure everything went smooth as silk.
Then came the night of the big event. It began with a 6 p.m. cocktail hour and the dinner program started at 7 p.m. Edwin asked me to serve as Master of Ceremonies, and I was flattered to do so. He also asked Laurie to sing “The Love of God,” his favorite hymn. She had sung it at an earlier function, and he told the audience he wanted her to sing it at his funeral, “but not anytime soon.”
Gov. Edwards said he was humbled by the turnout and said it was one of the highlights of his long career. He told the crowd, “You’re not going to believe this, but my mother-in-law is 40 years younger than I am. On my 90th birthday last week, I woke up with this beautiful lady by my side,” he said motioning toward Trina, “And then I walked my four-year-old son to preschool. Not many people have that opportunity,” the Governor commented with a smile, receiving whoops, shouts and thunderous applause from the crowd. He continued, “I’ve been around the world six times and in every state, and there’s not a better place in America and the world than Louisiana.” He continued, “It’s very wonderful to reach 90. I’ve had a great life and while I’ve had my ups and downs over life, I have no complaints.”
When Gov. John Bel Edwards spoke, he dismissed any criticism he had received for attending the party as “ridiculous.” He said the honoree was compassionate and had common sense. He was seated at the head table along with his wife Donna. Also speaking on the program was a long-time friend of Edwin’s, Chris Owens of New Orleans. Some weeks prior to the program, when the Governor’s office found out she was going to make a presentation, someone called and questioned me about having a “stripper” on the program, saying how bad that would look for the current Governor to be on the same program with her. I told them Ms. Owens was not a “stripper,” but an entertainer who had gladly given much back to the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana for many years. “Why don’t you all worry about doing something about the state’s deficit?” I asked the caller as I heard the click of the phone being hung up. And maybe that’s the reason John Bel’s office never followed up on the promise to hold a pre-event press conference. Who knows? Turns out, we didn’t need it.
Others at the head table were former Gov. Kathleen Blanco and her husband Raymond, State Senate President John Alario and Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and his wife, Cher.
When it came time to cut the birthday cake, little Eli was brought into the ballroom, already dressed for bed in his pajamas, to assist cutting the cake. He seemed to have a grand time with it all. During a break in the program, Edwin and Trina went to all 55 guest tables and had a photo made with all who attended.
Among folks from this area who attended the party were Mr. and Mrs. Pete Abington, (who purchased the very first tickets we might add), Attorney James Lynn Davis, Judge and Mrs. Stephen Beasley, Mr. and Mrs. Cayman Clevenger, Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Vic Jones, then-Natchitoches Clerk of Court Louie Bernard, former Speaker of the House Joe Salter, Health Veuleman, Mr. and Mrs. Fuzzy Hennigan, former Rep. Johnny McFerren, Roy Bush and Judy Winn Bridges, Will Bell, Karen Rawls, Mitzi Roe, and Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Wooley.
Laurie lined up the Louisiana Sidemen from the Sabine area to provide party music and they did an outstanding job. In the group that night were Henry Reggans Sr., Hardrick and Pam Rivers, Mickey Burton and Gerald Mitchell. Ms. Rivers sang the National Anthem and brought the house down.
And so it was. After it was all over, Gov. Edwards thanked Laurie and me for our many efforts. He remarked enthusiastically, “Let’s do it again at 95!” We readily agreed. In the days that followed, he again called to thank us and wanted to pay us for our efforts. I used the ole Tedd Dumas line, “Friends don’t charge friends.” I told him it was our honor to produce the event and that his satisfaction was thanks enough.
Well, he still wasn’t satisfied. About a week later, he called and wanted to send us on a cruise to show his appreciation. He knew how much we love to cruise. I again turned down his offer but told him how much the gesture meant to us.
And one of the birthday party’s best outcomes that put a smile on his face: We had a few dollars left over after all the bills were paid, and he was very happy to receive it to place into a college fund for Eli.
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