James Sudduth

James Edward Sudduth, I
Mayor of Lake Charles, Louisiana
In office 1965–1973
Preceded by	Alfred E. Roberts
Succeeded by	William Edwin "Bill" Boyer
In office 1989–1993
Preceded by	Edward S. "Ed" Watson
Succeeded by	Willie Mount
Personal details
Born	August 15, 1917 Tennessee, US
Died	September 11, 1995 (aged 78) Lake Charles, Louisiana
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	Norma Marie Bertrand Sudduth
Children	At least 1
Occupation	Government employee
Throughout non-consecutive terms as mayor of Lake Charles, James Sudduth is most remembered for the Sudduth Coliseum.

James Edward Sudduth, I, known as Jim Sudduth (August 15, 1917 – September 11, 1995),^[1] was a Democrat who served two stints as the mayor of Lake Charles in far southwestern Louisiana. The 7,400-seat Sudduth Coliseum, which opened in 1972, is named in his honor.

Career

A Tennessee native, county unavailable.^[1] Sudduth was the city finance director^[2] and from 1965 to 1973 the mayor of Lake Charles. He stepped down with a year remaining in his term to take the director's position at the Port of Lake Charles. He was succeeded by council member William Edwin "Bill" Boyer (c. 1931–1999), a stepson of former Governor Sam Houston Jones and brother of Robert G. Jones, a former member of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature.^[3]

In his second year as mayor in 1966, Sudduth was quizzed by Joseph B. Flanagan, a city council member regarding the existence of the city sewerage board. Flanagan questioned the extension of sewerage services outside the city limits when Sudduth authorized a convenience store on West McNeese Street to use the city main with payment for the attachment and thereafter an annual fee. Flanagan claimed that the sewerage board should have been consulted, but Sudduth countered that the board was no longer valid under a revised municipal charter. At any rate, the attachment cost the city nothing, Sudduth stressed.^[4] In 1967, the city council directed Sudduth to consider the purchase of used buses for the city's ten-vehicle fleet at a cost of as much as $26,000.^[5] That same year, Sudduth was asked why Lake Charles then had no African-American firefighters though it had some black police officers. He replied that while he had encouraged blacks to take the civil service exam, none had yet passed the screening.^[6]

On April 1, 1989, Sudduth returned as mayor when he unseated Democrat Edward S. "Ed" Watson, 11,497 (55.2 percent) to 9,321 (44.8 percent).^[7][8] In 1990, Sudduth founded the Women's Commission of Southwest Louisiana, Inc., with the regional mission "to empower women".^[9] Robert M. McHale, Jr., a native of Youngstown, Ohio, who came to Lake Charles through Chennault Air Force Base, was the city attorney under both Mayors Sudduth and Boyer. McHale was also counsel for the Port of Lake Charles and the city Housing Authority.

Family life

Sudduth was married to the former Norma Marie Bertrand (1919–1993), who was living in 1935 in Rayne in Acadia Parish.^[10] Their son, James "Bo" Sudduth, II (born August 26, 1959), is a registered Independent voter in Calcasieu Parish.^[11] Sudduth, II, was formerly married to the former Pamela Meche, now Pamela Pelafigue (born July 1960).^[12] Their son and Mayor Sudduth's grandson, James Sudduth, III (born August 1987),^[13] a graduate of Louisiana State University Law Center in Baton Rouge, is an assistant district attorney for Calcasieu Parish.^[14]

The James Sudduth Parkway in Lake Charles is also named in his honor.

References

1. "James E. Sudduth". search.ancestry.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
2. Jessica Hutchings (2015). "Lake Charles". Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing Company. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-4671-1328-1. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
3. "Boyer, William E. (died September 9, 1999)". usgwarchives.net. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
4. "Mayor sees no need for sewerage board". Lake Charles American-Press. May 13, 1966. p. 3. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
5. "Council to face fifteen items at meet". March 10, 1967. p. 21. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
6. "The Informer". Lake Charles American-Press. March 11, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
7. "Election Results". Louisiana Secretary of State. April 1, 1989. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
8. "Mayors of Lake Charles". CityofLakecharles.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
9. Marilyn Monroe (September 24, 2008). "Women's Commission of SWLA: Working to empower women". McPherson Sentinel (Sulphur, LA). McPherson, Kansas: mcphersonsentinel.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
10. "Norma B. Sudduth". Ancestry.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
11. "James Sudduth, August 1959". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
12. Pelafigue v. Sudduth, II
13. "James Sudduth, August 1987". Louisiana Secretary of State. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
14. "John DeRosier Swears in New Assistant District Attorney". calcasieuda.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015.