2023 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 125
BY SENATOR CATHEY
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of
Louisiana upon the passing of Walter Bertram "Bert" Hatten.
WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the members of the
Legislature and the citizens of Louisiana have learned of the death of Walter Bertram "Bert"
Hatten on May 22, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Walter Bertram Hatten, affectionately known as "Bert", was born in
Sikes, Louisiana, near Winnfield, Winn Parish, on March 9, 1927, the oldest of four
children, born to the union of William Earl Hatten and Pina Pauline Head Hatten; and
WHEREAS, in his pre-teens, Bert and his family moved to West Monroe where he
attended Ouachita Parish High School (OPHS) and Northeast Junior College, both in
Monroe; and
WHEREAS, a Christian of the Baptist faith, Bert was a member of the West Monroe
Masonic Lodge #419, 32-degree Scottish Rite and York Rite, and also qualified as a
Shriner; and
WHEREAS, while a high school student, Bert's first job was at Zagone's Grocery at
801 Natchitoches Street as a grocery clerk and delivery boy where he earned $5.50 a week,
and his second job was at the service club on Selman Field, where he managed the soda
fountain and grill earning $18.50 weekly; and
WHEREAS, Bert was accepted into the Merchant Marines where he served aboard
five ships during WWII, mostly in the Pacific, and when General Douglas MacArthur
accepted the formal surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Bert was aboard
a ship nearby loaded with tanks, bombs, and artillery consigned to a land invasion of Japan,
had the president decided not to use the atom bomb attack; and
WHEREAS, after the war, Bert worked for Western Electric for a short time before
enrolling in college and accepting a job as a news reporter at the News Star World, where
he resigned as managing editor sixteen years later, and bought The Ouachita Citizen, which
he sold to the Hanna family and retired twenty years later; and
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WHEREAS, in 1966, Bert was elected Mayor of West Monroe, served a total of
twelve years, elected handily to three four-year terms and did not seek a fourth term; and
WHEREAS, during his years of mayorship, the city rebuilt every city street to a high
code standard, installed the city's first sewage treatment system, built a new government and
convention complex on N 7th Street, stabilized the city's fiscal base, and revised the
city-owned Hasley Cemetery to initiate perpetual maintenance and trust funding; and
WHEREAS, before taking office after his first election, Bert sought advice from
several experienced area mayors, including Clyde Fant, a highly respected veteran mayor
of Shreveport, saying, "I found that a big help from the beginning and a great source for
future questions during my 12 years as mayor"; and
WHEREAS, while Bert was mayor of West Monroe (1966-1978) the city
successfully pushed the development of two industrial parks and many new jobs to the area,
including Downing Pines Industrial which was developed on an eighty-three acre tract
bought from Illinois Central Railroad, and the West Ouachita Industrial District which was
developed on 296 acres contingent with I-20, Hwy 80, and I. C. Railroad; and
WHEREAS, long before he was mayor, Bert was an aggressive supporter of
education requiring that all members of the Ouachita Parish School Board reside in the
Ouachita Parish taxing district; and
WHEREAS, "Repeated efforts to achieve equity in representation had failed in state
and federal courts and state legislature where Monroe always controlled the political power
to win", Bert said. We finally got justice in a Louisiana Constitutional Convention, and Bert
took great pride in having written the original draft on that part of the new constitution which
now prevents such inequity for any school district in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, "We now have three of the finest public high schools in Louisiana: West
Monroe High School, West Ouachita High School, and Sterlington High School", Bert
added; West Monroe was probably the largest city in America without a public high school
until West Monroe High School was founded in the mid 1950s; and
WHEREAS, after leaving the mayor's office, Bert said he was pleased with the city's
accomplishments during his twelve years in office but added, "It could not have been done
without three good city councils, the department heads, city employees and especially, the
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overwhelming support of the citizens of West Monroe"; and
WHEREAS, as Bert approached his ninety-fourth birthday, he recalled having
interviewed Bob Hope, and having shared a Heineken beer with Arthur Feilder, conductor
of the Boston Pops Orchestra, when both were quests of Al Hirt, the famed trumpeter, at his
place on Bourbon Street; Bert also had met every Louisiana governor since Sam Jones,
except John Bel Edwards; and
WHEREAS, Bert said he felt very fortunate to have lived to an advanced age during
so many important events in his community, nation, and the world: "To all of which I have
tried to be a positive contributor; I hope I have been successful"; and
WHEREAS, Bert is survived by his daughters, Sarah Jill Maxwell (Todd), Beth
Hinton (widow of Jacky), Cathy O. Rawls (Wade); grandchildren, Olivia Greer, Maddi
Maxwell, Ian Maxwell; brother, Bob G. Hatten; sister, Nova Dee Hatten Carbo; and many
other cherished family and friends.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express sincere and heartfelt condolences upon the passing of Walter Bertram
"Bert" Hatten.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copies of this Resolution be transmitted to
Sarah Jill Maxwell, Beth Hinton, and Cathy O. Rawls.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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