Milton Womack, 77, BR Philanthropist
Louisiana Lou
By JOSH NOEL and ELLYN COUVILLION
Advocate staff writers
Milton J. Womack Sr., a philanthropist and contractor who built the Mall at
Cortana, Earl K. Long Medical Center and several more of Baton Rouge's most
notable structures, died Thursday night after dining with friends. He was
77.
Womack was on his way home from dinner at Brandt's Maisonette with his wife,
Margaret, when he died of heart arrhythmia about 10 p.m., his family said.
Womack's wife drove him to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center,
where he was pronounced dead.
Friends and family said he appeared to be in good health even though he
walked with a cane for the past eight years as the result of breaking a leg
25 years ago.
"He was hitting on all cylinders, and an hour later he was dead," said Allen
Penniman, a friend of more than 50 years who dined with Womack and their
wives Thursday night.
The two men ate identical meals of red snapper, gumbo and a glass of red
wine, Penniman said. Womack had discussed an interest in visiting Vermont,
and Penniman had agreed to lend him a travel book.
Womack remained active until his death in his business, Milton J. Womack
Inc. General Contractor. He left his father's painting company in 1955 to
form what would become one of the most influential contracting businesses in
the state.
"There was a lot of building going on in Baton Rouge at that time, and he
thought that would be a more exciting career," Penniman said. "Why paint the
wall when you could build it?"
Womack's company came to prominence with its first major project: the
construction of Earl K. Long Medical Center on Airline Highway in 1963, said
Womack's son-in-law, Steve Carville, who co-owns the company.
Other major construction projects followed, including the Mall at Cortana,
Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Bluebonnet and the Hilton Hotel (now the
Marriott).
Most recently, the company built two state office buildings downtown, the
Galvez and the Claiborne buildings. His company also assisted with the
construction of the LSU Student Union and Our Lady of the Lake Regional
Medical Center on Essen Lane, and did major renovations to Baton Rouge
General Medical Center Mid-City and Woman's Hospital.
Womack's success made him a wealthy man, and friends and family said he
often shared his fortune.
His assistant of 15 years, Gail Mackey, said her boss was known to help
friends, acquaintances or even strangers in financial distress.
"He never turned anyone away who needed help," she said. "He'd give money,
direction in life, job advice, business guidance. He was like St. Nicholas.
He really was."
She said he would give people money, "but then try to help them so they
wouldn't get in the position again."
She said Womack was a quiet but profound man.
"When he spoke, you hung on to every word," she said. "He was not a chatty
person and he wasn't good at small talk."
Womack's daughter, Anne Carville, said he graduated from Baton Rouge High
School, near where he grew up.
"He always remembered where he came from," Carville said. "He didn't come
from wealth, which is why I think he was so generous."
Womack was deeply civic-minded, working on behalf of dozens of community,
political, religious, business and academic organizations.
"He was the greatest guy I ever knew," said former Gov. Buddy Roemer, the
president and chief executive of the Business Bank of Baton Rouge.
Womack, who served as the chairman of the bank, was Roemer's finance
chairman when Roemer was elected governor in 1987.
Roemer said his friend led an interesting life that allowed him to rub
shoulders with celebrities and political leaders.
"He played in the Masters Golf Tournament, he was at the surrender of the
Japanese in WWII, he served Mass with Joe DiMaggio," Roemer said.
"I've known presidents since Jimmy Carter -- Ronald Reagan, George Bush,
Clinton, George W. Bush -- the first thing they ask me is, 'How is Uncle
Milton?'"
Womack attended LSU and was a steadfast supporter. Although he did not
graduate, he served on the LSU Board of Supervisors from 1990-97 and was its
chairman in 1994-95.
He also held leadership positions with the LSU Foundation, the LSU Alumni
Association and the LSU Medical Center Foundation, among others.
"Milton was an extraordinary individual who made an enormous difference at
LSU, not only through his work as a contractor but as a philanthropist and
member of the board of supervisors," LSU Chancellor Mark Emmert said.
"He was a larger-than-life person. There's not enough of those to go
around," Emmert said.
Bill Jenkins, LSU system president, said Womack "did so much for so many in
such a quiet and unassuming way, I do not believe many people know how much
Mr. Womack contributed to our community."
Education was among Womack's interests, friends and family said.
"It seems like every time there was a cause that related to children or
education, he was one of the persons I would turn to, and I'm not alone in
that regard," said Sally Clausen, president of the University of Louisiana
System, which has eight universities.
"I think in my 30 years of public life, he must be the most generous person
I ever worked with," she said. "I'm both shocked and saddened by his
passing. Hopefully he is now receiving his reward; he certainly deserves
it."
Among many honors, he received the Brotherhood Award from the National
Conference of Christians and Jews and the Golden Deeds Award from the Baton
Rouge Intercivic Council.
Womack is survived by his wife, four children, five step children and 15
grandchildren.
Visitation will be held Monday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Rabenhorst Funeral
Home, 825 Government St., and on Tuesday, from 9 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy
Catholic Church, 444 Marquette Ave., until a funeral service at the church
at 10:30 a.m.
http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/120603/new_womack001.shtml
David Langlois --- Ball serves Baal
a former business partner of my dad's too - there's an interesting story about
a private airplane trip but I don't remember all the details so I'll just let
that one go - "Uncle" Milton (a term I usually reserve for Milton Friedman the
great economist) was what every great philanthropist should be. Louisiana could
use a few more like him.
David