Ben and Alice Babineaux celebrate 50 years of marriage

Sweethearts for 55 years and married for 50, Ben and Alice Babineaux celebrated their “Golden Wedding Anniversary” on May 22, 2009 at their home on Crestlawn Drive with a

Catholic Mass and blessing of the vows officiated by Father Tom Voorhies.

Their dating began in the summer of 1954 during high school, and after dating for five years, became husband and wife on May 23, 1959. At the time of their marriage, Ben was the bookkeeper for Babineaux Lumber Company, his family’s business, and Alice worked for the State of Louisiana in the Medicaid division. They set up housekeeping in Crowley and both attended night classes at the local trade school earning drafting degrees.

Their first child, Kevin was born in Lafayette in 1960, the same year that the Babineauxs moved to Lafayette to manage the R.H. Agate estate, which included the Agate Real Estate Company. While Alice managed this company, Ben joined Joe Anzelone as a salesman for Anzelone Reality. This was in 1961, the year their second son, Troy, was born. They built their first home in Lafayette from plans drawn by Alice. This was the same year that Ben worked with his uncle, Lionel Babineaux, and started his own business, Babineaux Real Estate.

In 1962 their daughter Rochelle was born. Shortly thereafter, Alice joined her mother, Liza Jo Stelly and helped her operate Kiddy Korner Kindergarten and Ben and Lionel Babineaux began developing subdivisions. In 1968, their second daughter Bridget was born. Besides her duties at the kindergarten, Alice drew all of the house plans for the development company. She decided to draw the plans for the family home and, because the children showed a fondness for horses, the Babineauxs bought acreage on the outskirts of Lafayette and built their second home where they have lived ever since.

Their hobby was breeding and showing champion German Shepherd dogs and they traveled much of the country participating in and winning many shows. People came from far and near to buy offspring from their champions. The children joined the Bar None Horse Club and ran barrel and pole races for the next several years.

In 1969 Ben surprised Alice with the news that he had just bought Landry Road Nursing Rome, which later became Lady of the Oaks Retirement Manor, and informed Alice that he needed her to manage it. She did, for more than three decades.

Said Alice, “Our strong love for each other is what allowed us to successfully work together throughout those years”. Ben’s love for boxing led him to become the coach of The Lafayette Sports For Boys boxing team and he produced many Golden Gloves champions. He did this for 18, years financing all the activities of the club and building a gym on his property.

Both sons, Kevin and Troy, were members of the club and built impressive identical records of 56-1 in the amateur ranks. Because most of the club members wanted to box professionally, Ben formed Babineaux Promotions and went into the professional league. Son Kevin competed as an undefeated heavyweight and compiled a record of 14 wins and only one draw with 12 wins coming by way of knockout.

In 2005, Ben and Alice said, “c’est tout”, sold Lady of the Oaks, and retired to enjoy their family, which now includes 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

Friends and family are always close by and a day seldom passes without the ringing of the doorbell announcing another visitor. They were happy and in love at the beginning and are still that way fifty years later.

Celebrating with them at their residence was a close group of friends and their precious family. Those in attendance included son Kevin and his daughters Alice and Conny, his stepson Travis and lady friend, Sherry Rangal, daughters, Rochelle Babineaux and Bridget Foret, her husband, Tom Foret and children, Chandler, Alexander and Ashley and grandson, Dez Babineaux, his wife Jill, son Cole and newborn daughter, Blair.

Others in attendance were Bill Besson of Dallas, Texas, Sid Turner of Las Vegas, Nevada and Lafayette friends Susan Turner Melancon, Tammy Courville, Ben and Lenora Voorhies, Jenita Trahan and Stephanie and Andy Nichols.