PRESS RELEASE
March 14, 2025
OGH Salutes Five At Gala
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The Opelousas General Health System added five more names to their employee Hall of Fame during a well-attended, seventh annual gala presentation ceremony held Thursday night at the Evangeline Downs Events Center.
Former administrators, physicians and nurses that included Don DeBlanc, Gary Keller, Rita Keller, Joy Poulet and Ann Ruffino were honored for their service and contributions at the hospital which began operations during the mid-1950’s.
The inductions for DeBlanc, Rita Keller and Poulet were administered posthumously.
OGH president and CEO Lance Armentor told the large audience that as he reviewed the resumes of the five inductees that he became “touched by their stories” and how each of them managed to impact the lives of so many individuals.
Gina Tuttle, chairman of the OGHS Board of Trustees and Foundation, said each of those recognized at the event were “integral parts” in the history of the facility.
It is obvious Tuttle said that those recognized at the event displayed “compassion and hard work” during their employment at the hospital.
Don DeBlanc
For 37 years DeBlanc, a family practitioner and former St. Landry Parish coroner, captivated his patients and co-workers with his vibrant personality and medical acumen..
DeBlanc often made house calls that sometimes included his son, Hunt DeBlanc, who became a doctor and has continued practicing medicine at the hospital.
Hunt DeBlanc remembered that his father often exhibited a larger than life personality who had an ability to connect with his patients.
When DeBlanc wasn’t attending his medical practice, he could often be found playing tennis or skiing on the Louisiana waterways, said Jimmy Genovese, who became president of Northwestern State University in 2024.
Dr. Fred Rodosta, a 2023 OGH Hall of Fame inductee, said DeBlanc eventually acquired the nickname Tiger and Dynamite Don, as he and others recognized DeBlanc’s personality that demonstrated the way he “loved other people and loved life.”
Rodosta said that DeBlanc had a special ability to connect with OGH co-workers while displaying a knowledgeable grasp of medicine.
“He was really down to earth. However when you get down to the nitty gritty, (DeBlanc) was solid,” said Rodosta.
Gary Keller
Armentor noted in his introduction that Keller probably understands more than any other person about the overall operation of the OGH facility.
Keller, who has remained as an OGH consultant, served three terms as CEO of OGH, beginning in 1984 and ending in 2012.
Andrew Keller, a grandson of Gary Keller, mentioned that his grandfather’s association with the medical field was instrumental in shaping his own career.
“(Keller) has a unique way of inspiring people and a natural talent for leadership,” Andrew Keller said.
Jackie Harbour said that she often found Keller’s leadership skills to be “unmatched. He was well-respected by the staff and communicated well, but he could also be tough,” Harbour recalled.
Ben Simmons, another OGH employee, said Keller always found time to associate with all levels of workers at the hospital.
“What I noticed was that (Keller) always reached out to all the people who worked here. He made contact with just about everyone,” said Simmons.
Tuttle said that Keller was also an efficient problem solver.
“Whenever we had a problem (at the hospital) we always knew who to call,” said Tuttle.
Rita Keller
Keller, the late wife of Gary Keller, worked at OGH for six years, beginning in 1987 and eventually became the head of speech pathology and audiology services.
“(Rita Keller) was one of a kind, who was recognized as one of the leaders in the advancement of voice treats in Louisiana,” said Gary Keller.
Amelie Hollier said that Rita Keller had the ability to make her colleagues and patients comfortable along with exhibiting an “immovable moral compass.”
Hollier remembered that Rita Keller and Henry McLemore, collaborated to create a speech clinic at OGH. The OGH speech clinic eventually became the standard for other hospitals seeking to perform a similar service, Hollier said.
“What was being done at OGH during this time with the speech and audiology clinic made other hospitals up their game in order to compete with OGH,” said Hollier.
Rita Keller’s reputation in the field of speech pathology eventually became evident nationwide, Hollier said
“There were times when physicians from the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins and other hospitals recognized for their excellence wanted to get information from her,” Hollier added.
Joy Poulet
Poulet, who became associated with OGH in 1959, was employed as the first nurse anesthetist at the hospital and worked at the facility for 25 years.
Retiring in 1984, Poulet built a home across the street from OGH, which often made her available for emergency surgeries and enabled her to be close to her family, said daughter Michelle Poulet.
The medical training for Joy Poulet began on World War II battlefields, where she worked as a MASH unit member of the field hospital nursing corps in North Africa and Italy, said daughter Marie Tomlinson.
Another daughter, Jeanne Floyd, recalled how her mother once helped a physician perform a delicate emergency open heart massage on the floor of the family home after their father had a heart attack.
The procedure was new at the time, but her mother, said Jeanne Floyd, bravely facilitated the situation with the calmness and skill of a professional who was familiar with surgeries.
Brent Prather, a physician whose father Dr. George Prather, was a 2019 OGH Hall of Fame inductee, said that Joy Poulet was also a recognized teacher and mentor for the younger nurses and someone who was also steadily focused on the lives of her children.
Marie Tomlinson said there are individuals in the community that remember the impact of her mother.
“People come up to me today and they tell me how much she meant to them,” Tomlinson said.
Ann Ruffino
Ruffino, who retired in 2024 at OGH, worked at the facility for 59 years.
During her employment Ruffino moved from her registered nurse status to the clinical director of the maternal child unit, where she was involved in the births of thousands of children born at OGH.
Ruffino was also remembered as a nurse who mentored many other nurses who were just beginning their careers in the profession.
Amy Rosette, an OGH nurse, described the lasting impact that Ruffino had on her own career.
“(Ruffino) always had a way of making you feel special and I have been thankful for always being there for me. She saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself,” Rosette said during a video testimonial.
Dr. Damien Badeaux said that Ruffino was emblematic of “an old-school” type of nurse. She was respectful of the chain of command and went about her duties in a dignified manner. (Ruffino) is someone who could handle all the intricacies that come with dealing with people.”
Badeaux added that Ruffino always indicated one important aspect of their collaborative careers.
“She was always somewhat of a mother figure to me. After all, she reminded me that she was the one that helped change my diapers,” said Badeaux.
