One of the Covington area's most revered doctors was Maurice Joseph Duplantis, MD. He spent a lifetime administering to the medical needs of area residents, and he took part in guiding the building and growth of St. Tammany Parish Hospital.
Dr. Duplantis passed away on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 at Forest Manor Nursing Home in Covington.
He was born February 23, 1920, in Port Arthur, TX to the late Maurice J., Sr. and Emily Hebert Duplantis. According to his obituary information, he served in the United States Navy during World War II and was stationed at Mobile Infirmary in Alabama.
Dr. Duplantis earned his medical degree from L.S.U. and in 1948 began a private practice in Covington. In 1954, he was instrumental in the founding of St. Tammany Parish Hospital where he served as Chairman of the Board and Chief of Staff at various times during his lengthy career. Dr. Duplantis also served as assistant coroner for over 35 years.
His obituary commented that "Dr. Duplantis will be missed for his joie de vivre, his delight in hearing or telling a great story, his amazing diagnostic abilities, his sheer joy in all things chocolate, his never-ending quest for knowledge and the life-long habit of reading a book a day until the very end, and, of course, his deep love and affection for family and friends."
His “bogus birthday parties,” which he celebrated shamelessly two-to-three times a year, will not be forgotten, it was noted.
The groundbreaking ceremony held on May 4, 1953 for St. Tammany Parish Hospital is pictured above. From left to right are Louis Voss, Archie Singletary, James Thompson (in the rear), Eugene Esquinance, Fred Mizell, Joseph Stein (in the rear), Eugene McIntyre (in the rear), Norma Core, Lucille Glisson, Walter Clairain, Oliver Hebert, Ike Champagne, Gus Fritchie, H. A. Davis, August Perez, Jack Tannehill (in the rear), Cecile Hebert, George Broom, Baxter Pond, Jessie Bankston, Father Tim Pugh, Maurice Duplantis, and L. L. Landon.
