ENROLLED
Page 1 of 4
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 17
BY REPRESENTATIVES STUART BISHOP, ABRAMSON, NANCY LANDRY, AND
ROBIDEAUX AND SENATORS CORTEZ, ADLEY, ALARIO, ALLAIN,
AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN, BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAITOR,
CROWE, DONAHUE, DORSEY-COLOMB, ERDEY, GALLOT, GUILLORY,
HEITMEIER, JOHNS, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY, MILLS,
MORRELL, MORRISH, MURRAY, NEVERS, PEACOCK, PERRY, PETERSON,
RISER, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH, TARVER, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH,
WARD, AND WHITE
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To express condolences upon the death of Carl W. "Wimpy" Bauer and to express enduring
gratitude for his outstanding contributions to Acadiana and the state of Louisiana,
particularly during his tenure as a distinguished member of the Louisiana House of
Representatives.
WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the Louisiana House of
Representatives and the Louisiana Senate have learned of the death of Carl W. "Wimpy"
Bauer, of Lafayette, on June 11, 2013, at the age of seventy-nine; and
WHEREAS, Carl Packard Wiegmann was born in Centerville, Louisiana, on October
4, 1933, as the third son of Fred and Mary Packard Wiegmann; his biological parents
divorced a few years later, and he was placed in a foster home in Alpine, Texas, at the age
of five; and
WHEREAS, the foster home was arranged by a distant cousin, Margaret Wooster
Bauer, whose aunt, Elma Wooster Boudreaux, took care of Carl until he was twelve; he then
returned to Louisiana, initially as the foster child of Margaret Wooster Bauer and her
husband, R. Norman Bauer, both lawyers in their mid-forties; and
WHEREAS, the Bauers formally adopted Carl the following year and changed his
name to Carl Wiegmann Bauer; he enjoyed life in Franklin, Louisiana, as the only child of
Margaret and Norman Bauer and was blessed from the moment he entered their home; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 17
Page 2 of 4
WHEREAS, Carl carried their name proudly from the day of his adoption until death,
always remembering just how fortunate he was to have such loving parents who gave him
not only their revered name but their wisdom, work ethic, generosity, and kindness; and
WHEREAS, upon graduating from Franklin High School in 1951, Carl enrolled at
Louisiana State University (LSU), where he completed his undergraduate work and the first
year of law school in 1955; having completed the Reserve Officer Training Corps program
at LSU, he was then called to active duty, to be trained as a navigator at Ellington Air Force
Base in Houston, Texas; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bauer received his Air Force wings and was stationed in Waco,
Texas, Panama City, Florida, and Sacramento, California, before being released from active
duty in 1957; and
WHEREAS, upon his return to civilian life, Mr. Bauer completed his legal education
at LSU and joined the law firm of his father, Norman, and beloved uncle, Theodore, at Bauer
and Bauer, Attorneys at Law; and
WHEREAS, Carl, at the age of fourteen, was a page in the Louisiana House of
Representatives, where his father served as Speaker of the House under Governors Sam
Jones and Jimmy Davis; this was a life-changing experience for Carl as he became severely
infected with the "political bug"; and
WHEREAS, in 1965, Mr. Bauer entered a special election race for a vacant seat in
the House of Representatives, representing St. Mary Parish, the same parish his father had
served with admirable distinction; Carl won that election, completed the unexpired term of
two years, and then successfully ran for a full term in a newly created district which included
Iberia Parish; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bauer served four full years in the House of Representatives under
the administration of Governor John McKeithen; during his tenure in the legislature, he
championed many causes of good government and tirelessly promoted funding the four-
laning of US Highway 90 from Lafayette to New Orleans; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bauer continued this highway interest and determination after
leaving public office through dedicated efforts towards transforming Highway 90 to
interstate standards as a continuation of I-49; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 17
Page 3 of 4
WHEREAS, in 1972, Mr. Bauer ran unopposed for a new senate district and served
with honor and distinction on the Senate Finance committee and the Transportation,
Highways and Public Works committee; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure in the Senate, then Senator Bauer authored legislation
creating the West St. Mary Parish Port Harbor and Terminal District which still exists today;
and
WHEREAS, at the age of fifty-seven, Mr. Bauer joined the staff of Dr. Ray
Authement, the President of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), as the
coordinator of governmental relations; Carl served in this capacity until shortly after Dr.
Authement's retirement nearly twenty years later; and
WHEREAS, Carl Bauer lived a long, active, and varied life full of love, opportunity,
people, and experiences; he had a successful law practice, numerous business interests,
unprecedented career opportunities, and a wonderful family, along with a multitude of
friends; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bauer's professional career included membership on many boards
of directors, including the Lafayette Economic Development Association, the Louisiana
Enterprise Center, the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and the Gulf and Great
Plains Legal Foundation, in addition to several private landholding companies; and
WHEREAS, while in the practice of law, Carl served the State Bar Association in
both the House of Delegates and on the Board of Governors; in 1968, he was elected as
president of the LSU Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bauer also served several years as a member of the board of the
USL Foundation and was involved in the Boy Scouts; he was a longtime member and past
chairman of the Board of Goodwill of Acadiana; and
WHEREAS, while still in Franklin, Mr. Bauer served on and chaired both the
Administrative Board and the Trustees of the First Methodist Church and when he moved
to Lafayette, he was an active member of Asbury United Methodist Church; he was also a
Master Mason, a Shriner, and a member of Rotary; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bauer is survived by his loving wife of thirty-three years, Mary
Jane Peacher Bauer; six wonderful children; and eight adored grandchildren; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 17
Page 4 of 4
WHEREAS, Carl W. Bauer received much from his two marriages, including the
love and devotion of six remarkable children, four of his own blood and two by virtue of a
superb marriage to Mary Jane, whom he loved beyond belief; his blessings multiplied with
the births of his eight marvelous grandchildren, each of whom he adored as they mutually
adored their "Poppy"; and
WHEREAS, while he experienced his share of heartache, including the loss of his
sight in recent years, he never lost sight of the positives in his life; Carl Bauer was a very
positive person who left this world firmly convinced that life is good, family is love, friends
are priceless, and God has blessed America; and
WHEREAS, the death of Mr. Bauer has left a great void and created a genuine sense
of sorrow in all who knew him, including the members of the legislative family, all of whom
mourn the loss of this wonderful man who served his state and this institution with
distinction, integrity, and statesmanship.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the death of former state representative Carl
W. "Wimpy" Bauer and does hereby record for posterity the enduring appreciation of the
citizens of Louisiana for his outstanding contributions and achievements, particularly during
his tenure as a distinguished member of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to the family of Carl Bauer.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE