Interviewer(s): D. Austin. New Orleans, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

I was referred to Luke Petrovich by the receptionist at the Empire Motel in Empire, LA. When I told her about the study, she recommended Mr. Petrovich because of his long history of public service in Plaquemines Parish. I called Mr. Petrovich's office and was told that he was in court but would return my call. When he did, we arranged to meet in his office in downtown New Orleans. He was very friendly and spent several hours talking with me about Plaquemines Parish, the oil industry, and its impacts on southern Louisiana. I returned in July 2003 to say hello and get a consent form and photograph from Luke, and he spent another couple of hours helping me understand the various communities within Plaquemines Parish and their histories.

Luke Petrovich was born in New Orleans in 1929 to Croatian immigrants. His father was an oyster fisherman. He died when Luke was only five years old, and Luke's mother raised and sold oranges to make a living. Luke finished high school in Buras. While a youth, he worked as a packer and picker in the oyster and orange business, on pipelines and as a roughneck in the oilfield, and in the bull gang for Freeport Sulphur Company. He went to college at Northwestern Louisiana; taught school for a year, and then attended Tulane Law School from 1952-1955. He formed his own law practice and operated it from 1955 until Hurricane Betsy struck in 1965. He became a charter member of the first commission council in Plaquemines Parish in 1961, served as Commissioner of Public Safety from 1961-1983 and Commissioner of Law and Natural Resources from 1983-1986, was parish vice-president in 1963 under Chalin Perez, and was elected parish president in 1985 when he served a two-term, eight-year maximum until 1993. He then returned to practicing law full time and served as pro tempore judge from March to November 1999.