La Société Louis Curet

 

Friends of French Studies at LSU was founded by the late Louis Douglas Curet (College of Arts and Sciences, ‘47, Law ‘50).  He was born in New Roads, LA, but later moved to Baton Rouge with his wife, Jean Harvey Curet, where he built a successful 55-year career as an attorney. Louis served as President of the Baton Rouge Bar Association from 1972-1973 and was a Fellow with the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel as well as a longtime board member of the Supreme Court of Louisiana Historical Society. He was honored to have been inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction in 2002, received the Distinguished Attorney Award from the Louisiana Bar Foundation in 2004, and was the recipient of the Golden Deeds Award in 2006.  In addition, Louis tirelessly devoted his time to the service of his community. He was passionately and consistently engaged in the support of numerous charitable, religious, and educational organizations in Baton Rouge.

An avid Francophile, Louis lent his leadership to the French Department through his creation in the fall of 1998 of the Friends of French Studies organization which has raised thousands of dollars in support of French at LSU. During his long tenure as an officer on the Friends of French Studies’ board of directors, he was the “heart and soul” of the organization he loved.  He traveled extensively in France, participated in weekly French language classes sponsored by the Friends, and garnered tremendous support for LSU, especially for the Paul M. Hebert Law Center and the Department of French Studies.  

After his passing in 2016 Friends of French Studies sought a way to honor Louis’s outstanding legacy.  In that spirit, La Société Louis Curet was created.  Each year the Société Committee seeks to recognize members who have been exceptionally supportive through their generosity to the Department of French Studies or through their dedication as volunteers who have committed countless hours helping the department achieve its goals of enhancing the educational opportunities for students and contributing to the French faculty’s pedagogical and research efforts. 
 
Following are the first inductees honored in January 2020: 
Richard and Seola Arnaud Edwards 
Jacqueline Labat (posthumously)  
Jean and Mary-Louise Mercier 
 
In February 2021: 
Lillie and George (posthumously) Gallagher 
Mary and Miles (posthumously) Pollard 
Alexandre Leupin 
Carrie O Connor (posthumously) 
 
In February 2022: 
Anne Boussert 
Olivier Moréteau