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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 139
BY REPRESENTATIVES BROADWATER, ABRAMSON, ADAMS, ANDERS, ARMES,
ARNOLD, BADON, BARRAS, BARROW, BERTHELOT, BILLIOT, STUART
BISHOP, WESLEY BISHOP, BROWN, BURFORD, HENRY BURNS, TIM
BURNS, BURRELL, CARMODY, CARTER, CHAMPAGNE, CHANEY,
CONNICK, COX, CROMER, DANAHAY, DIXON, DOVE, EDWARDS,
FANNIN, FOIL, FRANKLIN, GAINES, GAROFALO, GEYMANN, GISCLAIR,
GREENE, GUILLORY, GUINN, HARRIS, HARRISON, HAVARD, HAZEL,
HENRY, HENSGENS, HILL, HODGES, HOFFMANN, HOLLIS, HONORE,
HOWARD, HUNTER, HUVAL, IVEY, KATRINA JACKSON, JAMES,
JEFFERSON, JOHNSON, JONES, KLECKLEY, LAMBERT, NANCY LANDRY,
TERRY LANDRY, LEBAS, LEGER, LEOPOLD, LOPINTO, LORUSSO, MACK,
MILLER, MONTOUCET, MORENO, JAY MORRIS, JIM MORRIS, NORTON,
ORTEGO, PEARSON, PIERRE, PONTI, POPE, PRICE, PUGH, PYLANT,
REYNOLDS, RICHARD, RI TCHIE, ROBIDEAUX, SCHEXNAYDER,
SCHRODER, SEABAUGH, SHADOIN, SIMON, SMITH, ST. GERMAIN,
STOKES, TALBOT, THIBAUT, THIERRY, THOMPSON, WHITNEY, ALFRED
WILLIAMS, PATRICK WILLIAMS, WILLMOTT, AND WOODRUFF
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of Dr. James Larry Crain, former president
of Southeastern Louisiana University, former state commissioner of higher
education, and former secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and
Tourism.
WHEREAS, it is with great sadness that the citizens of Louisiana have learned of the
death of Dr. J. Larry Crain on February 2, 2014, at the age seventy-nine; and
WHEREAS, a native of Washington Parish, he taught science and coached basketball
at Varnado High School before leaving to go to Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU)
as a professor of Biology; and
WHEREAS, Larry Crain met Edwin Edwards in 1970 when he was an assistant
professor of biology at SLU; he heard Edwin Edwards speak and was so impressed with him
that he introduced him throughout Washington Parish; Edwin Edwards went on to win the
gubernatorial election in 1976 and asked Larry Crain to serve as deputy secretary, and later
secretary, of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Larry Crain went on to serve as SLU's president from 1980 to 1986
before becoming system president for the Board of Trustees for State Colleges and ENROLLEDHR NO. 139
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Universities, which is now known as the Board of Supervisors for the University of
Louisiana System; and
WHEREAS, the current president of SLU, Dr. John L. Crain, described Dr. J. Larry
Crain as the one who "led the university at a pivotal time in its history during the 1980s and
played a key role in transforming the institution from a small, sleepy college into one of the
state's major regional universities; he will be remembered for his efforts to enhance the
academic stature of the university during the 'oil bust' years that impacted the state's
economy and severely affected the funding of higher education as well as other state
services; he will be remembered as a man of integrity who was committed to higher
education and historic preservation"; and
WHEREAS, in December 1993, following a contentious deadlock between
supporters of Governor Edwin Edwards and appointees of former Governor Buddy Roemer,
the Board of Regents named Dr. James Larry Crain as the state's higher education
commissioner; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Larry Crain was an avid collector with an interest in history,
particularly the Civil War and southern architecture, culture and genealogy; he was a
member of the Civil War Roundtable, serving as the group's president; and he had "perhaps
the finest collection in the world" of U.S. Martial single-shot pistols; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Crain spent years restoring a dogtrot-style house on his
grandfather's homestead in State Line, including a functioning syrup mill, blacksmith shop,
and barn; and
WHEREAS, he was a loving husband and a cherished father, grandfather, great-
grandfather, and friend whose love of family was of the utmost importance to him in his life;
and
WHEREAS, the success of the state of Louisiana, the strength of our communities,
and the overall vitality of American society depends, in great measure, upon people like Dr.
J. Larry Crain who dedicate themselves and their lives to education and to making Louisiana
a better place for future generations.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the
death of Dr. J. Larry Crain, former president of Southeastern Louisiana University, former ENROLLEDHR NO. 139
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state commissioner of higher education, and former secretary of the Department of Culture,
Recreation and Tourism, and does hereby record for posterity enduring appreciation for his
lifetime of outstanding contributions and achievements.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Dr. J. Larry Crain.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES