Elaine Edwards Explained

Elaine Edwards
Office:First Lady of Louisiana
Term Label:In role
Term Start:March 12, 1984
Term End:March 14, 1988
Predecessor:Dolores Treen
Successor:Patti Crocker Roemer
Term Start1:May 9, 1972
Term End1:March 10, 1980
Term Label1:In role
Predecessor1:Marjorie McKeithen
Successor1:Dolores Treen
Jr/Sr2:United States Senator
State2:Louisiana
Appointer2:Edwin Edwards
Term Start2:August 1, 1972
Term End2:November 13, 1972
Predecessor2:Allen J. Ellender
Successor2:J. Bennett Johnston
Birth Name:Elaine Lucille Schwartzenburg
Birth Date:8 March 1929
Birth Place:Marksville, Louisiana, U.S.
Death Place:Denham Springs, Louisiana, U.S.
Resting Place:Resthaven Gardens of Memory and Mausoleum
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Children:4

Elaine Lucille Edwards (née Schwartzenburg; March 8, 1929 – May 14, 2018) was an American politician from Louisiana. Edwards was a Democratic member of the United States Senate in 1972 appointed by her husband, Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards, following the death of Allen Ellender.

She was the First Lady of Louisiana for twelve non-consecutive years from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1988, making her the state's longest-serving First Lady. In her later years, she was a small fashion businesswoman and a low-profile soap opera actress based in New York City.

Early life

Edwards was born in Marksville, the seat of Avoyelles Parish, to Errol Leo Schwartzenburg[1] and Myrl Dupuy Schwartzenburg.[2] Elaine was baptized Catholic,[3] [4] [5] and had two brothers, Frank (1928–2013),[6] and Ralph (born 1936).[7]

She married Edwin Edwards in 1949. Her own Catholic belief was the impetus for Edwin's reversion to the Catholic faith. An observer noted that Elaine Edwards "wanted the opposite of what Edwin wanted. She hated the fishbowl of politics."[8] Both graduated from Marksville High School.[9] Discussing her marriage in 1984, Edwards said: "All I wanted to do was get married and have babies and keep house."[9]

Senate career

Edwards was the First Lady of Louisiana for twelve non-consecutive years from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1988, making her the state's longest-serving First Lady. She did not live full-time at the Governor's mansion during her husband's third term, instead spending most of her time at the family's compound in southeastern Baton Rouge which they purchased during the term of Edwin's successor/predecessor, David C. Treen.[10]

On August 1, 1972, after the death of Allen Ellender, Edwin Edwards appointed Elaine to the U.S. Senate to serve the remaining few months of Ellender's term.

In reaction to her Senate appointment, Edwards said: "This is a marvelous opportunity, and I accept it. But let's have no misgivings. I'm not a United States senator". Edwards did not seek election in November 1972.[9] She resigned immediately upon certification of J. Bennett Johnston (whom her husband had defeated in the Democratic primary in the previous year's election for Governor) as the winner of the November 7, 1972 general election (in which Ellender had been a candidate until his death), allowing Johnston to gain seniority over other new senators elected on the same date.

During the 1976 presidential election campaign, Elaine endorsed Gerald Ford[11] over Jimmy Carter, while her husband first endorsed California governor Jerry Brown,[12] and later endorsed Carter after Brown failed to obtain the nomination.[13]

In 1983, Edwin Edwards was re-elected as Governor thus making Elaine first lady again this time serving until 1988.[9]

Post-political career

After her senate tenure, Edwards owned a small business producing custom-made dresses and would continue this business even while serving as first lady during her husband's third term in the 1980s.[9]

She moved to New York City in the 1990s to find occasional work as a soap opera actress.[9]

Personal life and death

Edwin and Elaine Edwards divorced in 1989 after forty years of marriage. The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons.[14]

Elaine Edwards died on May 14, 2018, at her daughter's home in Denham Springs, Louisiana, while suffering from respiratory problems.[15] Edwards was buried at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Alexandria Daily Town Talk, July 17, 1999. July 17, 1999. USGenWarchives.net. January 7, 2012.
  2. Book: Women in Congress, 1917-2006. Matthew Andrew Wasniewski . 2006. Government Printing Office. 978-0-16-076753-1. 467–469. September 9, 2011.
  3. News: Good times sour for La.'s Edwards . Hugh A. Mulligan . Lakeland Ledger . July 12, 2013. (continued at page 8A as "La.'s tough times tough on Edwards")
  4. Web site: Edwin Edwards Timeline . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113256/http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=980302&nav=0nqxBuZD . March 4, 2016 . kplctv.com . KPLC 7 News . July 12, 2013 .
  5. Book: Coozan Dudley LeBlanc: from Huey Long to Hadacol . July 12, 2013. Clay . Floyd Martin . 1973 . 978-0-88289-646-5 .
  6. News: Frank Charles Schwartzenburg Sr., age 84 of Marshalltown, Iowa, native of Marksville. https://archive.today/20130628172342/http://www.avoyellestoday.com/view/full_story/21521866/article-Frank-Charles-Schwartzenburg--Sr--age-84-of-Marshalltown--Iowa--native-of-Marksville. June 28, 2013. Avoyellestoday.com. January 31, 2013. May 14, 2018.
  7. News: Ex-governor tops list of colorful parish politicians. Philip Timothy. thetowntalk.com. March 16, 2007. June 1, 2013. https://archive.today/20120915072359/http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20070318/COMMUNITIES/703160358/Ex-governor-tops-list-colorful-parish-politicians. September 15, 2012.
  8. Leo Honeycutt, Edwin Edwards: Governor of Louisiana, Lisburn Press, 2009, pg. 82
  9. Web site: Former Louisiana first lady Elaine Edwards dies; Edwin Edwards: 'She was a great asset'. 14 May 2018 . The Advocate. May 14, 2018.
  10. Web site: Former LA first lady Elaine Edwards dead at 89. WBRZ. May 14, 2018. May 16, 2018.
  11. Book: Public papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford. Gerald R. Ford. 1977 . Government Printing Office. 2324–25.
  12. News: Carter nomination seems assured; more Dems climb on bandwagon. Eugene Register-Guard. June 10, 1976. September 9, 2011.
  13. News: Conservatism balances regional pride in South. The Sun. October 18, 1976. September 9, 2011. November 7, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230112/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1773106352.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+18,+1976&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Conservatism+balances+regional+pride+in+South&pqatl=google. dead.
  14. Book: The Biographical encyclopedia of the United States, Volume 2. 1968. Allied Publishers. 370. September 9, 2011.
  15. http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/05/elaine_edwards_louisianas_form.html Elaine Edwards. Louisiana former first lady, dies at 89