Governor Bobby Jindal's Remarks at Former Governor David Treen's Memorial Service

**NOTE: These are as prepared for delivery. Governor also spoke off-the-cuff.**

On the first day of what Governor Treen called, "the greatest opportunity and challenge of his life," he said that it was gratitude that he felt most of all.

In his inaugural address that day, Governor Treen said, he was grateful to his parents "for their unbounded and ceaseless love,

…and to his wife "for her constant and unselfish support, abundantly provided in times of failure as well as in times of success."

…and to his children "for their unrelenting faith" in him.

…and to his campaign leaders and workers and contributors, as well as the people of Louisiana who had entrusted him to the position.

The fact that Governor Treen talked about feeling gratitude most of all on his inauguration day is a small window into the soul of a man who was first and foremost a statesman with a servant's heart.

Many of the people Governor Treen spoke about on that first day in office in 1980 are also with us here today.

And, I know those not with us, including his parents and his loving wife, Dodie, are smiling down on us as we again gather on the spot where Governor Treen began his service to Louisiana as Governor decades ago.

I want to thank them for sharing him with us, on behalf of a grateful state and people.

On that day, he set out to address the needs and challenges of the times with vigor and determination.

With that same spirit of gratitude and determination, Governor Treen made an historic mark on our state.

He created the Department of Environmental Quality.

He acquired an historic amount of recreation lands for all Louisianians to enjoy -- as well as those who come to Sportsman's Paradise to visit.

And, he established the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts.

We know Governor Treen's desire to serve others began in childhood.

When he visited the Governor's Mansion at the age of five, he told his brother, "I'm going to be government someday."

He was right. Well, he was pretty close.

He went on to reassure his brother, John, that he could still live with him because the Governor's Mansion is a big house and John and his wife could live there too!

As a further testament to Governor Treen's dedication to serving something greater than himself, he later narrowed down his career choices to being either a lawyer who would serve in office or a Methodist minister.

As we look back now on the span of Governor Treen's decades of service, we see how his kindness and his humility were reflected in every aspect of his life: from being a loving father and husband, to his public service as both Governor and U.S. Congressman, and his service as an officer in the U.S. Air Force.

Whether it was his family, or the state, or the nation, Governor Treen lived to serve others -- and it is my honor to call him a colleague, a fellow statesman, and a friend.

In closing, I want to turn to the greatest servant of all, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says: We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians Chapter 5 goes on to say: Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Governor Treen and his family, especially today, as we honor a man dedicated to bettering the world he lived; A man who always looked for ways to help others above himself; A man who saw beyond the challenges of the moment to the ultimate goal of bettering a state, and a nation.

His memory will live on forever in our hearts, and his legacy will never be forgotten.

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