The first Louisiana Republican to be elected to Congress and then elected governor since Reconstruction, Gov. David Connor “Dave” Treen, is dead at the age of 81. Treen reportedly succumbed to respiratory illness at East Jefferson Hospital early Thursday morning.

Gov. Bobby Jindal has issued an order for all flags at the Louisiana Capitol to be flown at half-staff.

A resident of Mandeville for the past several years, Treen reportedly had just moved to Christwood Retirement Community where he continued to receive treatment for respiratory problems. Dave Treen, governor of Louisiana from 1980-1984, blazed the trail for many Republicans to follow in a state that for a hundred years was considered solidly Democratic, part of the “solid south.”

David Treen, former governor of Louisiana, who served 1980-1984, died Thursday after his battle with a respitory illness.

He is being credited by many Republican leaders as the “Father of the Republican Party in Louisiana,” offering help and mentoring several Republicans currently serving offices from the U. S. Senate down to local officials.

He became a Republican in 1962 when there were only about 10,000 registered Republicans in the state. After serving as U. S. Representative from 1973-1980, he finally was successful in his bid for the governor’s office and won election in 1972.

His quiet demeanor was a stark contrast to his predecessor, Democrat Gov. Edwin Edwards, and as a result, he was often criticized for being boring, unproductive and ineffective.

However, as governor, he is credited with the creation of the Louisiana school for the Math, Sciences and the Arts in Natchitoches for gifted students; the establishment of the Department of Environmental Quality; and the appointment of more minorities to state positions. He also gave pay raises to teachers for continuing their educations, but Edwards ended that program when he won election for the next term.

During retirement Treen was still active in politics and the Northshore communities of the parish.

“We are fortunate to have good leadership in St. Tammany Parish,” he said in February, citing the accomplishments of Parish President Kevin Davis, Sheriff Jack Strain and U. S. Rep. Steve Scalise, and the statewide efforts of Gov. Bobby Jindal.

In national politics, Treen was not a supporter of either the stimulus package or other recent policies. He said the nation as a whole needs to come to grips with the rising debt. “It is having an effect on the way other countries view the United States and as a result, the value of the dollar is going down. If anyone has any ideas, call your representatives,” said Treen.

Political analyst Jeff Crouere said that his forgiveness and friendship with former political rival Edwards was a testament to his statesmanship and honorable character despite their earlier political differences.

Edwards and Treen had gone from being political rivals to friends. Treen was elected governor after Edwards’ first two terms when Edwards could not run again. At the end of Treen’s term, Edwards once again was elected to the office, in 1984. In 1991, Treen backed Edwards for a fourth term in office when Edwards faced former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who was the Republican nominee.

Upon Edwards’ imprisonment for racketeering, Treen fought to have Edwards pardoned, or at least his sentence commuted, by outgoing President George W. Bush.

Expressing disappointment over he failed attempt, Treen said, “Why Bush didn’t commute the sentence, I don’t know. He was one of the stingiest presidents we’ve ever had with pardons and commutations.”

He said that Bush had released only 200 people from prison as compared to President Bill Clinton who released 500.

Treen was commended for his “outpouring of Christian compassion” for his former rival, Edwards. In fact, Treen said in February that they are friends and the refusal of a presidential pardon will leave Edwards with about two years left to serve, if he is allowed time off for good behavior as expected. Treen visited his former rival in prison regularly.

Treen was born in Baton Rouge July 16, 1928 to Paul and Elizabeth Treen and moved to New Orleans with his family. Treen graduated from Fortier High School in New Orleans in 1945 graduated from Tulane University in 1948 with a degree in history and political science. At Tulane, he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He received his law degree from Tulane Law School in 1950. In 1951, he married his beloved Dolores “Dodi” Brisbi, who passed away in 2005.

He served in the U. S. Air Force from 1951-1952. He returned to New Orleans and joined the law firm of Deutsch, Kerrigan and Stiles. In addition, he was a vice president of Simplex Manufacturing Corp. from 1952-1957.

Treen is survived by three children, Dr. David C. Treen Jr., Cynthia Lunceford and Jennifer Neville; and his brother John. He had nine grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements include lying in state at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge with a service at 11 a.m. Monday morning. The funeral will be Tuesday at St. Timothy on the Northshore United Methodist Church in Mandeville. Details are still being finalized.