90 Plus: 91-year-old Lela Debate excited for next week
CARENCRO, La. (KLFY) – 91-year-old Acadiana woman is eager for next week. Lela Debate, 91 of Carencro, will turn 92.
Debate is a longstanding member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She received recognition for over 50 years of service. Debate was born in Bunkie. Her family moved to Evergreen about five miles from Bunkie. "The reason they call it Evergreen is because the trees stay green all year round," Debated explained.
Lela remembers working at the 5 & dime store. "I used to walk those five miles from Evergreen to Bunkie when I couldn't get a ride. My father, we didn't have a car," Debate said.
Lela then moved to Lafayette to join her newly married sister. In a stroke of luck, the store where Lela was working had a location inside the Northgate Mall. "She said why don't you transfer? I did. I worked for K&B for nearly 40 years between Lafayette and Alexandria."
Lela's first husband was from Maryland. They met in Alexandria where he was stationed. "I was about 19 or 20 years old at that time." Her husband served in Vietnam. "He didn't come out too well."
Unbeknownst to Lela, love was not finished with her just yet. Lela's friend called a gentleman Lela once had merely a friendly chat with. Her friend snuck and invited him to an event. "She said Lela do you recognize that fella standing in the door? He was over six feet tall. I said oh no. She said well go meet him."
They've been together ever since. Lela's new husband would come to Lafayette to visit her. Once they went to Opelousas sightseeing. They ran into the clerk of court while at the courthouse. "Oh, you want to get married, and we looked at each other," the clerk of court asked.
"I said how can we get married? Don't you have to do blood work and all that before? He said, no they did away with all that," Debate noted.
It was Halloween, but that had no bearing on them agreeing to say I do. "One was dressed like a witch, and one was dressed like a nurse. They were our witnesses," Debate laughed.
Tragedy struck again. Lela and her husband were in a car accident. Another driver ran a red light. Lela's husband did not survive. "That was 11 o'clock in the morning and he died that night."\
Today, Lela lives a full and independent life. "People look and me and say you still drive. Well yes.?"
That's how Lela lives her life. She says she prays and doesn't give up on living. "If I quit doing what I'm doing, well then they can bury me."