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Sunday, November 22, 2009
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Gov. David Treen memorial service
Travis Spradling/The Advocate
The Joint Honor Guard, consisting of members of the Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Air National Guard and Louisiana Army National Guard, brings former Gov. Dave Treen’s casket down the State Capitol steps Monday after the conclusion of public visitation in Memorial Hall of the State Capitol.
Former governors, congressmen and other political figures gathered at the State Capitol Monday to pay their respects to ex-Gov. Dave Treen.
Treen, who died last week, was remembered as an honest and gracious man who served as a mentor to younger generations of politicians.
Mourners eulogized Treen as a statesman, straight arrow, true public servant and doting grandfather.
“Gov. Treen lived to serve others … More importantly, he was an inspiration,” said Gov. Bobby Jindal.
For Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, Treen was a veteran politician who dispensed friendship and advice through periodic phone calls.
“I came to know him as a wonderful, sweet guy,” he said.
For former U.S. House Speaker Bob Livingston, Treen was a guiding force who influenced his legal and political careers.
“He was my mentor my entire adult life,” he said.
Treen’s son, David C. Treen Jr., said remarks about his father’s decency are the “salve that soothes the sting of death.”
The former governor — the first Republican to hold the office since Reconstruction — died Thursday in Metairie of complications from a respiratory illness. He was 81.
Treen’s wife, Dolores “Dodie” Brisbi Treen, preceded him in death.
State troopers carried Treen’s flag-draped coffin into the State Capitol’s Memorial Hall for a service that opened with a prayer and ended with a 19-cannon salute.
The service brought Treen back for a final time to the capitol city where he was born and where he was sworn in as governor.
The mourners included Treen’s three children, grandchildren, brother and nearly all of the state’s living former governors.
Not present was former Gov. Edwin Edwards, who once quipped that Treen was “so slow it takes him an hour and a half to watch ‘60 Minutes.’” Edwards currently is serving a 10-year federal prison sentence.
Treen’s grandson Jason Stewart Neville took a light-hearted swipe at Edwards’ statement.
“For the record, I have watched the evening news with Granddad, and we always finished watching it roughly at the same time,” Neville said.
Treen, who lost to Edwards after serving one term as governor from 1980 to 1984, did not hold a grudge. He led efforts for the former governor’s sentence to be commuted.
As a politician, Treen could never be mistaken for a colorful character like Edwards.
U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey of New Orleans said Treen was defined by his faith, family, frugality and fundamental core values.
Treen’s son, David, said his father wasn’t attracted to public life for fame or fortune.
Wielding political power for suitcases of money — or even to fix a speeding ticket — would have been totally out of character for his father, he said.
“Dad was honest and he demonstrated that quality to us our whole lives,” Dr. David C. Treen Jr. said.
Jindal related a story about Treen visiting the Governor’s Mansion at age five and declaring that he would be governor one day.
Treen’s journey to the Governor’s Office was far from easy.
After graduating from Tulane Law School and serving in the U.S. Air Force, Treen became a partner in a New Orleans law firm.
He ran against then-U.S. Rep. Hale Boggs three times and lost each time. The third time he lost to Boggs, he attracted 49 percent of the vote.
Treen then ran for governor in 1971, losing to Edwards.
The following year, he won the U.S. 3rd District Congressional seat and became governor five years later.
Treen established the state Department of Environmental Quality. His gubernatorial term also coincided with the oil bust.
He lost his bid for re-election to Edwards in 1983.
Related Photo Galleries
Photos: Treen Memorial A photo gallery of former Louisiana Gov. David Treen's burial service.
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