An exceptional man

It is not often that we accept columns from outside our ring of chosen columnists to contribute to the editorial and commentary section of the Acadiana Gazette.

We did that on April 27 and July 20 of this year when we allowed former State Rep. Ernie Alexander to write a couple of columns.

It was an exception made for an exceptional person.

Ernie was not only a former legislator, he was a former city-parish councilman, broadcaster and teacher. He was laid to rest last Friday at St. John Cemetery. At 78 years old, Ernie passed away at his home after months of battling esophageal cancer.

Up until four weeks prior, he was still faithfully attending and participating fully in the meetings of the Lafayette Parish Republican Executive Committee of which he was a member. He was an optimist and always looked at the glass as being half full rather than half empty.

There were so many varied parts to Ernie’s life that many who knew him as one entity forgot his achievements in other areas. For instance, many remember his as the beautiful voice on radio or the weatherman on television. He was a superb broadcaster who owned an FM radio station for a time and was the weekend weatherman for KATC, Channel 3 for a period of time.

Ernie grew up in Port Allen, across the river from Baton Rouge and started his broadcast career in the Capitol City. He moved to Lafayette to teach in the early ’60s and was soon widely recognized for his many accomplishments in the fields of education. Many of his former students were among the throngs in attendance at his funeral. Some of his many accolades include: Outstanding Teacher in Lafayette Parish, Outstanding Speech and Debate Coach in Louisiana, author of “A Programmed Guide to Teaching Radio and Television in Lafayette Parish Schools” and past president of Lafayette Parish Association of Educators.

Ernie is remembered by many for his service on the Lafayette City-Parish Council. He then served in the State House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008.

Along the way he found time to be a member of the Republican State Central Committee; member of LABI, CABL, NFIB and PAR; chairman of the Lafayette Republican Party (PEC); honored with dedication of a special “Ernie Alexander Library” in the Lafayette Tea Party headquarters; chairman of the board of the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana; award recipient for Outstanding Service to the Community, Outstanding Rotarian; member of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce; Voice of the Lafayette Kiwanis Club Football Jamboree for 50 consecutive years); coach and board member of the Lafayette Little League football program for 20 years; board member of the Acadiana Arts Council; board member of the Lafayette Little Theatre and member of the Acadiana Symphony Association, serving as past president.

The Gazette printed two columns written by Ernie on the above noted dates. In April he wrote a column headlined “When leadership failed Lafayette.” In July he was back with a tax plan that was unique and, to this date, untried. It was an innovative idea and still stayed within the bounds of the Tea Party’s “Taxed Enough Already” slogan.

As we said, this was an exceptional man.