Lejeunes mark golden anniversary

Fred and Linda LeJeune of Iota recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a weekend of events hosted by their children.

The festivities were kicked off on the evening of Friday, June 20, as Fred and Linda welcomed their out-of-town guests with a barbecue cookout at the couple’s home. Family and friends from California, New York, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana enjoyed a simple menu of hamburgers and hot dogs, fresh summery salads, watermelon and plenty of cold beer.

Party-goers reminisced late into the evening while the kids entertained themselves riding four-wheelers, chasing frogs and catching dragonflies.

The big celebration was held Saturday, June 21, at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Hall in Evangeline. More than 150 friends and family members gathered for a luncheon reception and a blessing of the couple’s marriage.

Linda’s brother, Rev. Don Aycock of Palatka, Florida, offered a few words before visitors got a taste of Cajun culture and many of the family’s favorites recipes - from slow-cooked beef brisket with white beans and slaw, to crawfish fettuccine, marinated shrimp and jambalaya cooked on site.

For dessert, guests could choose sweets from a table devoted to cakes, pies and cookies.

The church hall was decorated with gold balloons and Boston, foxtail and asparagus ferns, dieffenbachia, English ivy and schefflera. The tables were draped with ivory linen, gold embroidered table runners and fresh floral centerpieces of gold and yellow sunflowers, spider mums, poms and alstromeria.

Strategically placed were large canvas prints from the couple’s 1964 wedding, including photos of the bride and groom with their parents and bridal party.

The anniversary cake was made by family member Myrtis Darbonne to closely resemble Linda’s wedding cake. The triple-tiered white cake, adorned with roses, rosettes, edible gold dragées, white pedestals and doves, offered guests decadent layers of praline, strawberry and coconut fillings. 

Among the pedestals holding the upper tier was a small bouquet of flowers complementing the table centerpieces. A gold cross with intertwining rings crowned the cake.

A German chocolate cake was prepared for the groom as requested. The top of the cake included edible photos of the couple throughout the years.

Those wishing to savor the weekend just a little longer were treated to a crawfish boil Sunday morning before departing.

Fred is the son of the late Clobulle and Mary LeJeune of Egan. Linda is the daughter of the late Dewey and Mabel Aycock of Evangeline.

The couple met as teenagers while riding the school bus. They were married on June 6, 1964, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Iota. Father Josef Von Brero officiated.

After honeymooning in New Orleans, they briefly set up housekeeping in Houma. Soon, Fred’s career in construction had them moving frequently.  They began a family and settled in Richwood, Texas, before returning to Iota in the early 1980s.  Fred retired from Turner Industries in 2008.

Fred continues to work in his shop and keeps and over-abundant garden. He is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Iota. Linda is an active member of the First Baptist Church of Evangeline and continues as a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. 

Fred and Linda have three children: Fred LeJeune Jr. of Iota, Lea Ann and Larry Durant of Ada, Oklahoma, and Travis and Melissa LeJeune of Baton Rouge. And nothing brings a bigger smile to their faces than their grandchildren, Lucas Michael and Annabelle Grace of Baton Rouge.