Young A Broussard

2005 Citizen of the Year

Young A. Broussard was born in Kaplan, La. in 1916. He attended Mt. Carmel until the seventh grade. He graduated from Abbeville High in 1934. He graduated from L.S.U. and was a member of the L.S.U. Tiger baseball team and was considered one of the best fielding first basemen by members of the press. Mr. Broussard was a member of the Gueydan High faculty in 1941, 1942 and 1946.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was sent to officers training in Quantico, Va. He was commissioned for 2nd Lieutenant in 1942 and spent three months in reserve officer class learning military tactics. He served in Samoa, New Zealand, Guadalcanal, Bouganville and New Celadonia. He made the attack on the Japanese in Bouganville where he was in the initial landing. Having contracted malaria, he was sent to Yosemite National Park for rest and recuperation. Mr. Broussard was discharged in 1945 after being elevated to Captain.

He founded Broussard Pontiac-GMC in 1946 which developed into a successful business.

Mr. Broussard was elected as a member of the Abbeville City Council under the administration of Mayor J. E. Kibbie serving as mayor pro-tempore. He was reelected in 1954 serving on the Roy Theriot Administration.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, past commander of the American Legion, past president of the Abbeville Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Abbeville Rotary Club and a Paul Harris fellow.

Mr. Broussard was elected mayor of Abbeville in 1962. While mayor he prevailed upon the legislature to place all city employees on Civil Service thereby preventing them from losing jobs with a change of administration.

He was a member of the Abbeville Building and Loan Savings Bank serving as its chairman until his death.

Mr. Broussard was an avid hunter and fisherman.

He was inducted as a living legend at the Earth Museum.

For the 2005 Cattle Festival, Mr. Broussard was chosen Citizen of the Year.