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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 51
BY SENATORS ALLAIN, ADLEY, ALARIO, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, BROWN,
BUFFINGTON, CHABERT, CLAI TOR, CORTEZ, 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 AND
REPRESENTATIVE BARRAS
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
death of Louisiana statesman, The Honorable Patrick T. Caffery Sr., and to recognize
his years of service to the Legislature of Louisiana, the Congress of the United
States, and the state of Louisiana.
WHEREAS, it is with great sadness that the Legislature of Louisiana has learned of
the passing of Congressman Pat Caffery of New Iberia, a distinguished gentleman, renowned
attorney, civic leader, and former member of the Louisiana State University Board of
Supervisors, on December 17, 2013, at the age of eighty-one; and
WHEREAS, Pat Caffery was a renaissance man of unique talents, intelligence, and
curiosity, who, through diligence and hard work, had experienced great success in public life
and was blessed with the thoughtful demeanor of a true southern gentleman; and
WHEREAS, Patrick Thomson Caffery was born on July 6, 1932, at Haifleigh
Plantation in St. Mary Parish, to parents Ralph Earl and Letitia Decuir Caffery; he was a
favorite son of Louisiana and perhaps even destined to legislative service, in that, he was the
grandson of former United States Senator Donelson Caffery; and
WHEREAS, reared in Franklin, he enrolled in Southwestern Louisiana Institute, now
the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, attended on a music scholarship for trumpet, was
elected student body president, and received the saber award as outstanding third-year cadet
in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC); and
WHEREAS, Pat Caffery was an enthusiastic disciple of jurisprudence; he earned his SCR NO. 51 ENROLLED
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law degree from Louisiana State University Law Center; and while in law school, he served
in the prestigious position of managing editor of the Louisiana Law Review for 1955-56; and
WHEREAS, after passing the bar, Pat Caffery joined the New Iberia law firm of
Helm, Simon, Caffery and Duhe and later established the firm of Caffery, Duhe and Davis
with partners John M. Duhe Jr. and Eugene Davis; and
WHEREAS, Caffery served as an assistant district attorney for the Sixteenth Judicial
District from 1958 until 1962; later in 1964, he was elected to the Louisiana House of
Representatives and served one term with committee assignments to House committees on
Contingent Expense, Judiciary C, and Ways and Means; and
WHEREAS, he was elected to the United States Congress in 1968, representing
Louisiana District Three during the Ninety-first and Ninety-second Congress and serving on
the Public Works committee, until he did not seek reelection in 1973; and
WHEREAS, after leaving Capitol Hill, Pat Caffery returned to New Iberia and
immersed himself in the practice of law, art and music appreciation, and continued
community service to the citizenry of Iberia Parish; and
WHEREAS, as a talented musician, he had an avid interest in the history and culture
of music, especially jazz and jazz musicians like Bunk Johnson, a New Iberia native; he was
also involved with the Iberia Community Band; and
WHEREAS, his philanthropy was boundless and he had longtime service as both
member and officer of the New Iberia Community Chest, the New Iberia United Givers
Fund, the Iberia Crippled Children's Association, the Iberia District of the Boy Scouts of
America, the Rotary Club, and the Catholic High School Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, he received many accolades during his prestigious career that included
receipt of the New Iberia Jaycees' Distinguished Service award and the Distinguished
Service Award by the Americans for Constitutional Action; and
WHEREAS, many public and nonprofit agencies benefitted from his guidance,
including that of appointment to the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors from
1988 until 1992, as a member he provided wise counsel on issues that involved tuition
increases, loans extended to fraternal organizations, and advanced desegregation plans for
institutions of higher learning; and SCR NO. 51 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, throughout his life Pat Caffery was a man of action and his proactive
stance made him a positive force at all levels of human endeavor; and
WHEREAS, he is survived by the love of his life, Anne Bercegeay Caffery, sons,
Patrick Jr., Kevin, and Michael; six grandchildren, extended family, and dear friends; and
WHEREAS, Pat Caffery was a man of great strength and intellect, a caring individual
who has left his mark on the community of New Iberia and the state of Louisiana, who
envisioned the potential for each individual, and who met the challenges of life head-on with
zeal and candor tempered with immense love of family and compassion for his fellow man.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
express its sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the passing of a renowned statesman,
The Honorable Patrick T. Caffery Sr.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
celebrate his extraordinary life and commend the rich legacy that Pat Caffery leaves to the
benefit of future generations and acknowledges a life well-spent in the service of his country,
his community, his state, and his God.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
widow, Mrs. Anne B. Caffery.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES