CAROLA LILLIE HARTLEY
Contributing Writer
The 1942 AIC six-man Football Team is pictured on school grounds in the fall of that year. Although the players are not all identified in this photograph, those who are include team members Ed Bienvenu #51, Burke Reed #44 ,Rudolph Dupont (back row, middle) and John Ward Oge, #45; Coach Howard Jaubert, bock row left, and Father Charles Marin, Assistant Coach, back row right. Other team members that year included Gordon Oge, Joe Baque, Ted Myers, Tom Onebane, Rupert Missi, Martin Roy, Jr,, Charles Roy, Calvin Gibson, Bob Nicholson and Bobby Joe Oge. (Maybe those reading this will help to identify others in the photograph.)
Bobbie Joe Oge, Bob Nicholson, Ed Bienvenu, Ted Myers, Burt Reed and Joe Baque, all seniors on that team, graduated from AIC in June of 1943. (Photograph courtesy of Robert Bienvenu.)
*Note: The above featured photograph of the 1942 AIC football team was sent to me several years ago by Robert Bienvenu, pictured below, who was born in Opelousas and lived here for many years. He and I had many conversations and emails about the Opelousas that he remembered all those years ago. It was such a pleasure to have those dialogues with him over the years. He loved Opelousas and enjoyed sharing photos and stories about his hometown. I was heartbroken to learn that Robert Bienvenu passed away last Saturday, February 19, 2022. I share this photograph today in his memory. RIP my friend. You will be missed by family and friends, and I will certainly miss you.
Robert Bienvenu in earlier days when he was teaching at Louisiana State University – LSU. (Photograph courtesy of Ann Thistlethwaite Bienvenu.)
