LeCompte Jr., author of Sharpened Iron, passes away

By: TONY MARKS
Editor

Melvin LeCompte Jr., author of Sharpened Iron: The Tee Cotton Bowl Story, passed away on Saturday, June 11, at the age of 52.
He was an accomplished author and musician. He taught school for 20 years in the St. Landry Parish School system having touched many lives. He will be remembered for his sarcasm and larger than life personality. He had a great love for his family. He was a native of Bridge City, a resident of the Lafayette area for over 20 years, and a current resident of Westwego.
While writing for the Daily World, LeCompte began his journey covering the football city championship in Ville Platte. In a 2018 interview with the Ville Platte Gazette, LeCompte said, “It was the second Tee Cotton Bowl in 2001. Herman Fuselier was the sports editor there at the time, and he tapped me on the shoulder and said this guy Dr. Tim (Fontenot) called about this thing called the Tee Cotton Bowl. He asked if I wanted to cover it. I was the new guy there, so I didn’t mind traveling wherever they wanted to send me. So, I went there and was really pleased with it.”
LeCompte wrote a column about his experience at the game, and what happened next went down in Tee Cotton Bowl history.
“When it came time for the third Tee Cotton Bowl,” LeCompte said in 2018, “Herman tapped me again on the shoulder and said it was the Tee Cotton Bowl that weekend. Dr. Tim had called and asked if I wanted to attend again and mentioned something about the NFL Films Presents. I went over there, and that’s when Dr. Tim explained to me he had mailed a copy of my column to NFL Films along with some other Tee Cotton Bowl stuff and that a crew was sent to come cover the game for NFL Films Presents. That was a big boost to me that Dr. Tim could use my column to promote the game.”
That connection between LeCompte, Jr., and Fontenot led to Sharpened Iron being written.
“Dr. Tim got back in contact with me and asked me to go by his office one day,” LeCompte said in that 2018 interview. “He had some stuff he wanted to show me. While I was there, he asked me if I thought a book about the Tee Cotton Bowl would be a good idea. I said sure, and he said that he wanted me to write the book.”
“For Dr. Tim to put that request on me,” he added, “I thought Tony Dungy said yes and the pope said yes, so how in the world am I going to say no.”
LeCompte is the beloved husband of Michelle LeCompte for 28 years, father of Krystin LeCompte (Emily) and Matraca “MayCee” LeCompte, son of Gwen LeCompte and the late Melvin LeCompte Sr., brother of Doris LeCompte Wild (Chad), uncle of Morgan Domingue and Dhaun Domingue and a host of other nieces and nephews on Michelle’s side.
Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral service in the chapel of Mothe Funeral Home in Marrero on Friday, June 17, 2022, at 3 p.m. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. Interment will be held privately at a later date at Our Lady of Prompt Succor Cemetery. Relatives and friends of the family may view and sign the online guest book at www.mothefunerals.com.