Rougeou, Clyde Lee, academic. Born near LeCompte, La., September 22, 1915, Attended LeCompte High School, graduated 1932; enrolled Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette), B.S. degree, 1935; Texas A & M, M.S. 1937. Appointed instructor in Agriculture at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI) in 1937; received Ph.D. from University of Minnesota, 1949. Rose in rank at SLI from instructor to assistant, associate, and then professor and head, Department of Animal Husbandry. Named vice-president of the New Iberia Education Center in 1965; named acting president of the University of Southwestern Louisiana (UL Lafayette), January 1, 1966; assumed the presidency on July 1, 1966. Guided university through a critical period of rapidly rising enrollment and curtailed budgets, adding several new graduate degree programs to the curricula leading to Masters, Specialist in Education, and Ph.D. Under his guidance USL embarked on a building project involving more than $34 million in new construction. He requested and was granted a one-year leave of absence, effective July 1, 1973, at the termination of which he officially retired on June 30, 1974. Married, August 20, 1940, Ruth E. Houston of Park Rapids, Minn. Children: Patricia Eileen (Mrs. J.W. Plauche III, b.1942); Marie Louise (Mrs. George Bennett, b. 1943); Benjamin Charles (b. 1944); Clyde Lee, Jr. (1946-2016) Ruth Anne (Mrs. Richard Hargett b.1952); Randolph Warner (b. 1954); Carole Jeanne (b. 1956); Elizabeth Antoinette (Mrs. James Barnett Harp, b. 1958); and Nancy Jo (Mrs. James Hunt Simon, b.1960). Subject served on the board of directors of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce from 1966-1969; Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital; Bayou Girl Scouts Council (third vice-president); Louisiana Gulf Coast Oil Exposition (honorary); board of stewards, First Methodist Church, Lafayette; Home Savings and Loan Association; and Council of Trustees, Gulf South Research Institute. Director, 1958-1961, of the American Jersey Cattle Club and president, 1961-1964. Named Progressive Farmer Magazine “Man of the Year in Louisiana Agriculture” (1965); Outstanding USL Alumnus, College of Agriculture, 1966; and presented the Air Force ROTC “Outstanding Service Award.” Held membership in the Louisiana Society for Horticultural Research (honorary), Council for the Development of French in Louisiana; Lafayette Rotary, Hope Lodge F & AM, Evangeline Shrine Club, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Kappa Delta Pi, Alpha Zeta (honorary), Blue Key, Omicron Delta Epsilon (honorary), Theta XI and Demeter. He is listed in Who’s Who in America (37th ed.); Who’s Who in the South and Southwest; American Men of Science; Leaders in Education; Outstanding Educators of America; The Blue Book (Leaders of the English Speaking World), and personalities of the South. Died, Lafayette, December 31, 1980; interred Masonic Cemetery.

[Narrative adapted from The Dictionary of Louisiana Biography]