Lacombe residents Willie Jeter and Margaret Batiste have been named the Lacombe Crab Festival King and Queen for 2008.

“The festival was originally created to help out all of our non-profit organizations in Lacombe,” said committee member Mike Sevante. “We wanted our king and queen to be representatives that give of themselves to better their community.”

According to Sevante, the two are affectionately known as Coach Jeter and Mrs. Margaret.

Willie Jeter and Margaret Batiste 2008 Lacombe Crab Festival King and Queen

“They have worked tirelessly all of their lives,” he said. “Their efforts have positively affected everyone, from the very young to the very old of Lacombe.”

Before retiring and then coming out of retirement to become assistant recreation director for Lacombe Recreation District 4, Jeter spent 36 years as a teacher and coach with the St. Tammany Parish School Board.

He served as principal of St. Tammany Parish Junior High School and also as the human resource supervisor at the school board’s central office.

“I was blessed to become part of this wonderful community many years ago,” said Jeter. “My life with my wife, the late Sylvia Palmer Jeter, and my daughter, Sheila Hayes, her husband, John Hayes, and my grandsons, Jonathan and Joshua, has been more than I ever could have imagined when I moved here in 1968.”

Margaret Landor Batiste is a lifelong resident of Lacombe. She is married to Milton Batiste and is the mother of three children, Gizelle Batiste, Kerri Anissa Kelly and Quinn Martin Batiste.

She is the grandmother of Crystal Batiste, E.J. and London Kelly and Danny Batiste.

Batiste has been employed with Southeast Hospital in Mandeville for 33 years. She has also served as the poll commissioner in Lacombe for 15 years, and for the past six months she has worked at the New Orleans Arena, where she spends her evenings volunteering to aid the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in St. Tammany Parish.

Both Batiste and Jeter are actively involved in the Lacombe community.

“We love working with the children of our community, to help them to become productive citizens and to teach them responsibility and dedication, to themselves as well as to their community,” said Jeter.

“I love the people of Lacombe, we all know each other, and we strive to be kind to one another and to get along with each other,” added Batiste.

Jeter has served as master of the Masonic Lodge in Slidell and is currently on the board of trustees at Starlight Missionary Baptist Church. Batiste is a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where she has sung in the choir for over 20 years. She has been a member of Phenomenal Women of Lacombe for 26 years.

At this year’s festival, Jeter and Batiste will preside over and judge the Crab Cook-Off contest on Saturday at 1 p.m. On Sunday, they will also preside over the Team Gumbo contest, which will have a panel of celebrity judges and takes place at 1 p.m.

Festival attendees can get a taste of dishes such as soft shell crab po-boys, crab cakes and fried crab fingers from New Orleans Bistro, boiled crabs and shrimp, fried catfish, jambalaya, crawfish bread, and shrimp Creole and pasta.

“The variety of food is remarkable this year, and of course, we’ll have our traditional hamburgers and hotdogs, as well as many beverage varieties,” said

Brian Schneider, committee chair.

New to the festival this year will be the cultural artisan displays and demonstrations, made possible by a grant from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Foundation. Artisans include Rodney Lewis, hand-carved pirogues; Joyce Ronquillo, Victorian quilts; Myrna Wilson, Koasati pine straw baskets; Peter Cousin, Choctaw Indian artwork; Norman Horn and John Scallan, woodworkers; and Jacob Cryer, decorated grave displays for the annual Feast of the Dead celebration.

“We are so excited to be able to hold the cultural village and artists walk in the new air-conditioned community center,” said festival organizer Jacki Schneider.

Display booths from several nonprofit organizations will once again be on hand, as will a representative from the Army at the Letters To Our Soldiers booth.

“Everyone loved writing and decorating notes to our troops overseas,” said organizer Sandy Haynes. “Our troops need these words of encouragement, and really appreciated all the cards and letters sent last year.”

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday at John Davis Park. Admission is $3 before 6 p.m., $5 after 6 p.m., and free to all under the age of 10.