Looking back: January to March 1969

By: HEATHER BOGARD
Associate Editor

This week, we take a look back 55 years ago to January through March 1969.
•118 absentee ballots were cast for the upcoming April 5, 1969 election.
•Fulton J. Baron was elected president of the Evangeline Parish School Board.
•Weber Lee Deshotels was installed as the new Evangeline Parish Assessor by Judge J. Emile Coreil, replacing Charlemagne Aucoin, who held the office for 12 years.
•Stacy Ann Lafleur, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elvis Lafleur of Ville Platte, was the first baby of the new year born at Ville Platte Medical Center.
•The second album recorded by the Sacred Heart choral group, titled “I Am So I Love,” was played for the parents at the PTA meeting.
•Dr. Jerry Veillon was elected to a third term as president of the Louisiana Cotton Festival Association. Other board members included Jesse Gary, first vice president; Mayor Harold Bordelon, second vice president; Larry Vidrine, outgoing president; Mrs. Clarence Rivers, secretary; and Mrs. Larry Vidrine, treasurer.
•Major Burton Fontenot, age 34 of Ville Platte, was killed in a plane crash in Japan.
•Perry Pitre Ford in Eunice celebrated its grand opening on January 17, 1969.
•Tournoi Queen Fonda Lafleur was one of 15 queens to represent their festival at the Mardi Gras Ball in Washington D.C.
•Glen Fontenot of Ville Platte, was named second runner up in the Louisiana Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year contest.
•Sister Judith Doyle Coreil of Ville Platte, was among those included in the 1968 publication of Outstanding Young Women of America.
•Charlie Manuel joined the Ville Platte Gazette as an advertising representative.
•Brother Lloyd Alfred, 57 of Ville Platte, died of a fatal heart attack minutes after speaking during a service broadcast over KVPI.
•Mrs. Harvey LeBas was named Catholic Daughter of the Year by the Sacred Heart of Jesus Court.
•The new state of the art location of Evangeline Seed Company opened at the corner of Railroad and Pine streets.
•New officers installed for the Evangeline Parish Home Demonstration Council included Mrs. Leon Deville (president); Mrs. Davis Ledoux (secretary); Mrs. Harry McDaniel (vice president); and Mrs. Louis Courville (treasurer).
•Sale items at Evangeline Furniture Company included a desk and chair set ($47.50) and a seven piece table and chairs set ($325).
•Sale items at the JB Veillon store included one gallon bottle of Lou Anna oil ($1.98), 25 pound bag of Sonny Boy rice ($2.59), two pound bag of Community Coffee ($1.29); fifth of Jim Beam ($4.19).
•Sale items at Good Year featured a set of four tires for $44.
•Sale items at A&P included whole fryers (.29 per pound) and beef rib roast (.99 per pound).
•Movies showing at the Platte Theatre included “In the Heat of the Night,” starring Sidney Poitier; and “The Detective,” starring Frank Sinatra.
•Popular television shows included “Bewitched,” starring Elizabeth Montgomery; “The Flying Nun,” starring Sally Field; and “The Beverly Hillbillies,” starring Buddy Ebsen.
•Popular songs of the first few months of 1969 included “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” by Marvin Gaye; “Build Me Up Buttercup,” by The Foundations; and “Time of the Season,” by The Zombies.