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Judge Kaliste Saloom Jr., who died Dec. 2 after a long and fruitful life, was elected and re-elected to the Lafayette city court for 40 years, even though friends said his first election would be his last because he refused to “fix” traffic tickets.
That didn’t bother him, he told me in a long interview in 2006, because he’d been reluctant to run in the first place.He was already deeply involved in community affairs, was building a successful law practice, and was a part of the generation who went off to fight World War II and who believed it was their duty to contribute to the life of the community when they came home.
“We came back and saw that Lafayette had nothing done in … six or seven years,” he said. “The war had blocked all development.”
As it turned out, his election to the bench did nothing to inhibit his public contributions. It would be difficult, maybe impossible, to name a major project or worthy cause in Lafayette that did not benefit from his work and wise counsel.
He was born on May 15, 1918, so was only a half-year from his 100th birthday, but doctors present at the beginning gave him little chance for such a long life.
His premature birth “was an emergency deal,” the judge told me. “The doctors said, ‘We don’t think the baby can make it.’” But a neighbor, Ida Naomi (mother of the late jeweler Paul Naomi) thought differently. According to the judge’s account, “She said, ‘No, the baby is fine. Get me a shoebox, Get me a blanket. Heat some bricks in the wood stove.’ They did, and she made an incubator for me and I survived.”
He was the fifth child of Kaliste Saloom Sr. (for whom the Lafayette road is named) and Asma Boustany Saloom, Lebanese emigres who came to Louisiana about 1890. He attended Mount Carmel grammar school, was valedictorian of the Cathedral High class of 1935 and quarterback of its regional champion football team (“I was small, but I was fast”), was sports editor of the newspaper at SLI (UL today), and won a scholarship to the Tulane law school.
He got his law degree in 1942, just after the United States was pulled into World War II, and immediately signed up, although he technically could have been deferred. (“You had to be 5-foot-7 and weigh 130 pounds. I was 5-feet-6 and weighed only 120.”)
He said he didn’t know what it meant when he was assigned to counterintelligence work. He thought he was going to be a spy, but was told, “No, you’re going to do the opposite. You’re going to catch spies.” He was first sent to North Africa, “to watch the Nazi … sympathizers infiltrating from Spanish Morocco and Tangiers.”
As a French-speaker, he became particularly valuable after the Allied invasion of France. He was sent first to Marseilles, “where I ran across Cajun troops from Lafayette . . . and ate my first gumbo in almost two years.” He served under Gen. George Patton in Europe and at the end of the war helped capture a notorious German general.
He returned to Lafayette and opened a law firm at the end of the war, involved himself in community life, and was elected city judge in 1953. “I didn’t want to run for judge,” he said. A good friend was also considering the race. But the friend decided not to run and talked Saloom into seeking the judgeship he held until August 1993.
His life and commitments broadened even more after he married Yvonne Adelle Nassar in 1958 and they began rearing a family that eventually included four children: Kaliste Joseph III, Douglas, Leanne Isabelle, and Gregory, all of whom followed his footsteps and earned law degrees.
When his death became known and people who knew him began to reflect on Judge Saloom’s life, certain words kept coming to the fore: “Stern but compassionate,” “kind and genuine,” “brilliant,” “willing to share,” “icon.” The two that came first to me were “visionary” and “gracious.”
Even as a young man, he was able to look beyond the immediate, apparent effects of a plan or project or public work, understand its history, and see its wider implications. That’s why his counsel was so valuable. And despite a list of accomplishments and honors that might have turned another man’s head, he was one of the most gentlemanly and gracious men I’ve known. That’s why he was so widely admired and loved.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, Cajuns and Other Characters, is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

ABBEVILLE – Funeral services for Barbara Meyers Marcotte, 75, will be held Friday December 8, 2017 at 2:00 PM at St. John Evangelist Catholic Church in Henry. Fr. Manny Fernandez Pastor of St. John Evangelist will be officiating.
Visitation will be held Thursday December 7, 2017 from 3:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a Rosary recited at 7:00 PM and will continue Friday from 8:00 AM until time of services. Burial will follow in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Cemetery in Erath.
Barbara was a native and lifelong resident of Abbeville, she was a dedicated school teacher have worked a total of 37 years with the Vermilion Parish School system, where she spent 24 years as a teacher at JH William, and 13 years at Henry Elementary. She spent 10 years caring for her Mother, and six years babysitting for the loves of her life, her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Survivors include her daughter Michelle Marcotte Reaux and her husband Dale; her grandchildren Lyndsay and her husband Benjamin Dubois, Jed and his wife Katie Reaux, and Ellie Reaux; her great grandchildren Nate and Evelyn Dubois, and Easton Reaux. She is also survived by her sister Judy and her husband Greg Hasemann; and her nephew Andrew and his wife Amy Hasemann.
Mrs. Marcotte was preceded in death by her parents Octa and Lola Mae Pullin Meyers.
Condolences may b e sent to the Marcotte family at www.davidfuneralhome.org
David Funeral Home 2600 Charity St. 337-893-3777 is in charge of arrangements.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas with chilly weather and possibly a snow flake or two.
Join everyone tonight, Dec. 7, for the annual Abbeville Christmas Stroll. The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Abbeville.
“The Stroll adds to the excitement of the thousand twinkling white lights outlining the buildings and creating a festive atmosphere!,” Director of the Abbeville Main Street Program Charlene Beckett exclaimed. “Being downtown for a fun family oriented old-fashioned event is like it was in years past when people gathered downtown evenings and weekends.”
The Stroll will be the kick off to the start of the holiday season. You can stroll around town, visit with friends and family, enjoy live music, take a picture with Santa and warm up with hot chocolate while munching on cookies!
“We have 17 participating shopkeepers to greet you and help you with your holiday shopping needs,” Beckett said.
Visitors can dine at one of the local restaurants that guarantee great food and hospitality.
“Traditionally we unveil the new Christmas Ornament for the Stroll,” Abbeville Main Street Manager Charlene Beckett said.
The ornament, this year, highlights The Caldwell House, which is now a bed and breakfast and a venue for special events. The Caldwell is owned by Mark and Darlene Frederick.
Pick up your Stroll card in Magdalen Square or from any of the participating merchants to be eligible for the Gift Basket Giveaway! Cards must be stamped by each of the merchants and once completed returned to Magdalen Square for the drawing that will be held at 8:15 pm.

North Vermilion High senior Alex Hebert is actively involved in his school.
It is a mission that has grown over the course of his four years at NVHS.
“School involvement is something that is very important to me,” Hebert said Tuesday afternoon while speaking to members of the Kiwanis Club of Abbeville.
The Kiwanis Club invited Hebert to its weekly meeting to honor him as the December Student of the Month. Hebert said it is fitting for him to be able to speak to such a group.
“I am greatly honored to be chosen for this and to be able to speak to a civic minded organization,” Hebert said, “that shares the same values, like community involvement and leadership, that I do.”
Hebert’s role at North Vermilion did not start as an active one.
“During my freshmen and sophomore years,” Hebert said, “I was actually not really involved at all.”
Hebert, who holds a 4.0 GPA and scored a 32 out of a possible 33 on his ACT, said words from North Vermilion Principal Tommy Byler at the end of his sophomore year paved the way for his growth at school.
“He encouraged me to join student council,” Hebert said. “My junior year, I ran for and won junior class president. I really enjoyed it and it showed me how fun and important it is to be involved.
“It also developed a greater sense of school pride in me.”
Hebert, who represented his school at Boys State, said among all that he has learned about himself during the past two years is that he shouldn’t be afraid to fail.
“Because of this,” Hebert said, “I ran for and won senior class president.”
With that, Hebert has not stopped.
“This year as senior class president,” Hebert said, “I have truly discovered my passion for leading and I know it’s something I want carry on beyond high school.”
Once he graduates from North Vermilion in May, Hebert said he will attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayatte. He will focus on a degree in computer science with a minor in business.
“I hope to one day own and run a technology business in the local area,” Hebert said.
When he does reach that point, his sense of community will not go away.
“I do want to be involved in community service,” Hebert said. “Last week, I helped organize a group of seniors to go to a veteran’s home in Jennings. We helped them decorate for Christmas.
“That is something I really enjoyed doing and something I want to carry on throughout my life.”
Hebert said his advice for any younger students who have the same desire is to get involved early.
“I hope my story will show the effects of getting involved early,” Hebert said. “I encourage students who are entering high school to get involved from the beginning.
“It may change their lives.”