One of Evangeline Parish’s elder statesmen, who served as state senator and as a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeal, passed away on Monday, September 13, at the age of 78. At the time of his death, Saunders was near the end of his third term on the appellate court.
For most his life, Saunders was confined to a wheelchair after being injured in a car wreck in 1961 when he was 17. The back of the former Sacred Heart football star was broken in the accident, and his nerves were so severely damaged that we would not regain the use of his limbs.
Undaunted from his injuries, Saunders completed law school at Louisiana State University and began practicing law as an associate with Donald Soileau.
Saunders burst on the political scene when the 27-year-old Mamou attorney announced his campaign for state senate. The 8th Senatorial District seat was being vacated after incumbent Dr. Ramson Vidrine announced his intentions to run for lieutenant governor.
At the time of his announcement, Saunders said, “Like most citizens, I am greatly appalled by the exorbitant amount of unmitigated graft which has existed in state government in recent years, and I feel that the primary job of any man elected to serve in state government should be that of regaining public trust in its elected officials. I pledge not only to conduct myself with honor and integrity but also to scrutinize carefully all business of the senate in order to detect and prevent any and all breaches of public trust by state officials.”
His initial bid for the senate fell short as he finished third behind Evangeline Parish District Attorney L.O. Fusilier and Dr. John Tassin. Returns from Allen, Avoyelles, and Evangeline Parishes showed a combined total of 13,473 votes for Fusilier; 13,375 for Dr. Tassin; and 8,871 for Saunders. Saunders was the lead vote getter in Allen Parish with 3,272 votes; Tassin led his home Avoyelles Parish with 6,838; and Fusilier led Evangeline with 6,044.
While running for Senate, though, Saunders made history as the first man from Louisiana to compete in the Wheelchair Games, which were sponsored by the National Wheelchair Association. He competed in archery, two swimming events, table tennis, weightlifting, and track.
Four years later, Saunders, who had served as vice president and member of the board of directors of the Mamou Jaycees, vice president and director of Mamou Youth Inc., president of the Evangeline Parish Chess Club, and member of the Mamou Boosters Club and the Evangeline and Louisiana Bar Association, again ran for state senate and was the top vote getter along with William “Bill” Fuller of Kinder. The two candidates faced off in the December 1975 runoff, and Saunders emerged the victor with a total of 15,681 votes to Fuller’s 10,473.
“I want to thank all of you for the encouragement, support, and hospitality you have shown me during my campaign and for the rewarding vote of confidence you have given me by electing me your state senator,” said Saunders upon his election.
Then, in 1992, Saunders announced his election bid for the court of appeals following the retirement of Judge J. Burton Foret. Saunders won convincingly with approximately 70 percent of the vote over attorney Mike Fontenot and District Judge Louis Lauvre from Alexandria.
In his home parish of Evangeline, Saunders received 7,995 votes or 71.47 percent. Fontenot, who was originally from Ville Platte, gathered 2,412 votes or 21.56 percent, and Lauvre received 780 votes or 6.97 percent.
“I would like to state my heartfelt appreciation to the people of Evangeline Parish for the extremely warm reception I received during the campaign. It is very rewarding to know that people supported my decision with such overwhelming enthusiasm,” stated Saunders.
For all of his accomplishments in the political and civic scenes, Saunders was selected as Grand Marshal of the Grand Parade of Cotton for the 60th Louisiana Cotton Festival in 2013. He was a big fan of the festival and attended each year since it started in 1953. Upon learning of his selection as grand marshal, Saunders said he was very flattered and also very excited to participate in a festival he has attended for most of his life.
Saunders was also a gracious host as he and his wife Susan hosted the “Old Regulars” for many years at their home. Back in 2017, Saunders said, “We started making suppers when we were 15-years-old. Somebody said we needed to find a place to have a sauce, and I said my aunt has a kitchen we can use.”
“We used (the kitchen) all through high school, all through college, and even after we were back home and had our own homes,” he continued. “We still used it because it was our place.”
The supper has grown over the years to include “guys” and friends from the surrounding area. “Several of our group went into political life, and so we’d have political suppers,” said Saunders. “We just kept on doing it, and it’s grown.”
Members of the original class included former judge John Larry Vidrine, former state representative Bernard LeBas, Rusty Dupre, Burke “Cayeux” Pitre, Anthony Dardeau, and JY Guillory.
Avoyelles Parish attorney Ed Knoll and current 13th Judicial District Court Judges Gary Ortego and Chuck West were also regular attendees. Others from the judicial system who have previously attended were Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Genovese and former St. Landry Parish District Attorney Earl Taylor.
Pitre says attending the “Old Regulars” was an opportunity for him to catch up with some his heros from Mamou, Vidrine, and Ville Platte High like Johnny Perrodin. “They didn’t know me, but I knew them,” he said. “I was in elementary, and they were some super stars.”
As Pitre put it, the nights together were all about the host John Saunders. “Saunders is a winner,” Pitre said. “Everybody wants to see Saunders. (He) was our leader in school and a leader in a lot of ways. He’s a smart guy.”
