# Elaine Edwards

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American politician (1929–2018)

For other uses, see [Elaine Edwards (disambiguation)](/source/Elaine_Edwards_(disambiguation)).

Elaine Edwards First Lady of Louisiana In role March 12, 1984 – March 14, 1988 Preceded by Dolores Treen Succeeded by Patti Crocker Roemer In role May 9, 1972 – March 10, 1980 Preceded by Marjorie McKeithen Succeeded by Dolores Treen United States Senator from Louisiana In office August 1, 1972 – November 13, 1972 Appointed by Edwin Edwards Preceded by Allen J. Ellender Succeeded by J. Bennett Johnston Personal details Born Elaine Lucille Schwartzenburg (1929-03-08)March 8, 1929 Marksville, Louisiana, U.S. Died May 14, 2018(2018-05-14) (aged 89) Denham Springs, Louisiana, U.S. Resting place Resthaven Gardens of Memory and Mausoleum Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S. Party Democratic Spouse Edwin Edwards ​ ​ (m. 1949; div. 1989)​ Children 4

**Elaine Lucille Edwards** (née **Schwartzenburg**; March 8, 1929 – May 14, 2018) was an American politician from [Louisiana](/source/Louisiana). Edwards was a [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) member of the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) in 1972 appointed by her husband, Louisiana Governor [Edwin Edwards](/source/Edwin_Edwards), following the death of [Allen J. Ellender](/source/Allen_J._Ellender).

She was the First Lady of Louisiana for twelve non-consecutive years from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1988, making her the state's longest-serving First Lady. In her later years, she was a small fashion businesswoman and a low-profile soap opera actress based in [New York City](/source/New_York_City).

## Early life

Edwards was born in [Marksville](/source/Marksville%2C_Louisiana), the seat of [Avoyelles Parish](/source/Avoyelles_Parish), to Errol Leo Schwartzenburg[1] and Myrl Dupuy Schwartzenburg.[2] Elaine was baptized Catholic,[3][4][5] and had two brothers, Frank (1928–2013),[6] and Ralph (born 1936).[7]

She married [Edwin Edwards](/source/Edwin_Edwards) in 1949.[2] Her own Catholic belief was the impetus for Edwin's reversion to the Catholic faith.[3][4] An observer noted that Elaine Edwards "wanted the opposite of what Edwin wanted. She hated the fishbowl of politics."[8] Both graduated from [Marksville High School](/source/Marksville_High_School).[9] Discussing her marriage in 1984, Edwards said: "All I wanted to do was get married and have babies and keep house."[9]

## Senate career

Edwards was the First Lady of Louisiana for twelve non-consecutive years from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1984 to 1988, making her the state's longest-serving First Lady. She did not live full-time at the Governor's mansion during her husband's third term, instead spending most of her time at the family's compound in southeastern Baton Rouge which they purchased during the term of Edwin's successor/predecessor, [David C. Treen](/source/David_C._Treen).[10]

On August 1, 1972, after the death of [Allen Ellender](/source/Allen_Ellender), Edwin Edwards appointed Elaine to the U.S. Senate to serve the remaining few months of Ellender's term.[11]

In reaction to her Senate appointment, Edwards said: "This is a marvelous opportunity, and I accept it. But let's have no misgivings. I'm not a United States senator". Edwards did not seek election in November 1972.[9] She resigned immediately upon certification of [J. Bennett Johnston](/source/J._Bennett_Johnston) (whom her husband had defeated in the Democratic primary in the [previous year's election for Governor](/source/Louisiana_gubernatorial_election%2C_1971-72)) as the winner of the [November 7, 1972](/source/United_States_Senate_elections%2C_1972) general election (in which Ellender had been a candidate until his death), allowing Johnston to gain seniority over other new senators elected on the same date.

During the [1976 presidential election](/source/U.S._presidential_election%2C_1976) campaign, Elaine endorsed [Gerald Ford](/source/Gerald_Ford)[12] over [Jimmy Carter](/source/Jimmy_Carter), while her husband first endorsed California governor [Jerry Brown](/source/Jerry_Brown),[13] and later endorsed Carter after Brown failed to obtain the nomination.[14]

In 1983, Edwin Edwards was re-elected as Governor thus making Elaine first lady again this time serving until 1988.[9]

## Post-political career

After her senate tenure, Edwards owned a small business producing custom-made dresses and would continue this business even while serving as first lady during her husband's third term in the 1980s.[9]

She moved to [New York City](/source/New_York_City) in the 1990s to find occasional work as a soap opera actress.[9]

## Personal life and death

Edwin and Elaine Edwards [divorced](/source/Divorce) in 1989 after forty years of marriage.[2] The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons.[15]

Elaine Edwards died on May 14, 2018, at her daughter's home in [Denham Springs, Louisiana](/source/Denham_Springs%2C_Louisiana), while suffering from respiratory problems.[11] Edwards was buried at Resthaven Gardens of Memory, Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.

## See also

- [Women in the United States Senate](/source/Women_in_the_United_States_Senate)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Alexandria Daily Town Talk, July 17, 1999"](http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/avoyelles/obits/schwarel.txt). *USGenWarchives.net*. July 17, 1999. Retrieved January 7, 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Wasniewski_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Wasniewski_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Wasniewski_2-2) Matthew Andrew Wasniewski, ed. (2006). [*Women in Congress, 1917-2006*](https://archive.org/details/womenincongress100wasn). Government Printing Office. pp. [467](https://archive.org/details/womenincongress100wasn/page/467)–469. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-16-076753-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-16-076753-1). Retrieved September 9, 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-GoodTimes_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-GoodTimes_3-1) Hugh A. Mulligan. ["Good times sour for La.'s Edwards"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=B7NOAAAAIBAJ&pg=1257,3714730&dq=errol+schwartzenburg&hl=en). *Lakeland Ledger*. Retrieved July 12, 2013. (continued at page 8A as "La.'s tough times tough on Edwards")

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-KPLCTV_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-KPLCTV_4-1) ["Edwin Edwards Timeline"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113256/http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=980302&nav=0nqxBuZD). *kplctv.com*. KPLC 7 News. Archived from [the original](http://www.kplctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=980302&nav=0nqxBuZD) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Clay, Floyd Martin (1973). [*Coozan Dudley LeBlanc: from Huey Long to Hadacol*](https://books.google.com/books?id=C1d5AAAAMAAJ&q=%22conversion+to+catholicism%22+elaine). Pelican Publishing Company. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-88289-646-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-88289-646-5). Retrieved July 12, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Frank Charles Schwartzenburg Sr., age 84 of Marshalltown, Iowa, native of Marksville"](http://www.avoyellestoday.com/view/full_story/21521866/article-Frank-Charles-Schwartzenburg--Sr--age-84-of-Marshalltown--Iowa--native-of-Marksville). *Avoyellestoday.com*. January 31, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2018.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Philip Timothy (March 16, 2007). ["Ex-governor tops list of colorful parish politicians"](http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20070318/COMMUNITIES/703160358/Ex-governor-tops-list-colorful-parish-politicians). *thetowntalk.com*. Retrieved June 1, 2013.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Leo Honeycutt, *Edwin Edwards: Governor of Louisiana*, Lisburn Press, 2009, pg. 82

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-TAO_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-TAO_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-TAO_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-TAO_9-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-TAO_9-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-TAO_9-5) ["Former Louisiana first lady Elaine Edwards dies; Edwin Edwards: 'She was a great asset'"](https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_afea9256-579a-11e8-a8f7-bf13ceaabca2.html). The Advocate. 14 May 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Former LA first lady Elaine Edwards dead at 89"](http://www.wbrz.com/news/former-la-first-lady-elaine-edwards-dead-at-89/). WBRZ. May 14, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FLL_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FLL_11-1) [Elaine Edwards. Louisiana former first lady, dies at 89](http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/05/elaine_edwards_louisianas_form.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180515112358/http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/05/elaine_edwards_louisianas_form.html) 2018-05-15 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), nola.com; accessed May 14, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Gerald R. Ford (1977). [*Public papers of the Presidents of the United States, Gerald R. Ford*](https://books.google.com/books?id=BRCTaYzoDlcC&q=elaine+gerald+ford+louisiana&pg=PA2325). Government Printing Office. pp. 2324–25. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-16-058870-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-16-058870-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Carter nomination seems assured; more Dems climb on bandwagon"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BKxVAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794,2343450&dq=edwards+endorse+carter&hl=en). *Eugene Register-Guard*. June 10, 1976. Retrieved September 9, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Conservatism balances regional pride in South"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121107230112/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1773106352.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+18,+1976&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Conservatism+balances+regional+pride+in+South&pqatl=google). *The Sun*. October 18, 1976. Archived from [the original](https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1773106352.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+18%2C+1976&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Conservatism+balances+regional+pride+in+South&pqatl=google) on November 7, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [*The Biographical encyclopedia of the United States, Volume 2*](https://books.google.com/books?id=36tBAAAAIAAJ&q=%22anna+laure%22+). Allied Publishers. 1968. p. 370. Retrieved September 9, 2011.

## External links

- United States Congress. ["Elaine Edwards (id: E000068)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000068). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

U.S. Senate Preceded by Allen J. Ellender United States Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana 1972 Served alongside: Russell B. Long Succeeded by J. Bennett Johnston

v t e United States senators from Louisiana Class 2 Destréhan Posey Brown Claiborne Johnson Bouligny Livingston Waggaman Nicholas Barrow Soulé Downs Benjamin Harris West Kellogg Gibson Caffery Foster Ransdell H. Long tenure R. M. Long Ellender Edwards J. B. Johnston Landrieu Cassidy Class 3 Magruder Fromentin Brown J. S. Johnston Porter Mouton Conrad Porter Johnson Soulé Slidell Kellogg Eustis Jonas Eustis White Blanchard McEnery Thornton R. Broussard Guion Gay E. Broussard Overton Feazel R. B. Long Breaux Vitter Kennedy

Authority control databases People US Congress Other SNAC

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Elaine Edwards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Edwards) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Edwards?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.