Taking a moment for a miracle
of spring
I have my late friend and fellow journalist Relma Hargus to thank for introducing me to cedar waxwings many years ago. You might already know about these beautiful birds, which are most visible in Louisiana in late winter and early spring
They’re about as big as cardinals, mostly olive and bright yellow, with red wing tips that resemble wax and inspire their funny nickname. The most striking feature is the black bandit mask across their eyes, fitting for a bird that loves to plunder Cedar waxwings pillage fruit and berries, and they work quickly, often stripping a tree in minutes before moving on. As Relma suggested, if you see a cedar waxwing, pause and take note. Its presence is a glancing gift, one to savor precisely because it won’t last long.
Relma had a knack for living in the moment, which can be a complicated thing for anyone who works in a deadline-driven newsroom. She saw the frantic hands of our office clock as little more than a friendly wave. Many an editor sighed in defeat as the appointed hour arrived and Relma’s copy had not yet arrived. She was a woman prone to private reveries, perhaps more interested in the coming of waxwings than the urgencies of daily journalism. All of this came to mind a few weekends ago as my wife and I were having breakfast on the patio. A busy day loomed, and we were headed inside when my wife spotted the season’s first waxwing on our hollies.
If we hadn’t lingered that morning, we would have missed it.
I was working from home a few days later when, from the corner of my eye, I spotted our stand of hollies as they trembled in the afternoon sun. Every tree was alive with cedar waxwings, drawn to the big red berries adorning the leaves. Birds crowded the branches, some upside down as they reached for the best meal.
Fifty or more birds worked the trees in a lively swarm, darting back and forth like bees rising from a hive. The legal pad on my desk included a long list of assignments to finish, messages to answer, meetings to attend. I hadn’t penciled in any appointments with waxwings. Then I thought of Relma and her advice about waxwings the notion that their arrival is reason enough to pause. I
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there a
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
Blame it on the gravedigger
As the story goes, he’s responsible for the incorrect layout of the St. Joseph Catholic Church Cemetery at 401 S. Adams Ave., in Rayne, which caught the eye of “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!” in 1997. Ripley’s featured the cemetery in its syndicated newspaper comic panel on July 24, 1997, declaring that not only did the gravesites’ north-south placement buck the cemetery tradition of east and west, it was also the only cemetery in the United States with graves facing the wrong way ‘Wrong Way Cemetery’
For good measure
BY JAN RISHER | Staff writer
uestion: What do Barron Trump, Jayden Daniels and Eli Manning have in common?
Answer: Their tailor is Baton Rouge’s Nathan Pearce
Though Nathan Pearce may not be a household name even in Baton Rouge, the 34-year-old entrepreneur says to just give him time
If the growth of his business over the last seven years is an indicator, he seems to be on his way
In January, Barron Trump wore a Pearce Bespoke suit to his father’s presidential inauguration
Remember the gray three-piece suit Jayden Daniels wore in 2023 when he won the Heisman? That was also by Pearce Bespoke.
Baton Rouge-based tailor clothes Barron Trump, Jayden Daniels, Eli Manning and more ä See TAILOR, page 2G
This may account for its local nickname, the “Wrong Way Cemetery.”
A Louisiana State Historical Marker standing kitty-corner commemorates the cemetery’s incorrect layout, concluding that no one really knows why or how this happened.
The gravesites in
in
are positioned north and south instead of the traditional east and west, which earned it the nickname, the ‘Wrong Way Cemetery.’
Which prompted Dee Jeffers’ inquiry “I grew up in Branch, and I have relatives buried in that cemetery,” the Baton Rouge resident said. “We knew the graves were facing the wrong way but no one ever said why Is there anyone out there who might know why?” Author and local historian Tony Olinger stepped up with the answer “We have no proof one way or the other, so it’s sort of a legend,” he said. In 1880, the community of Pouppeville decided to move its community a mile west. The ä See CURIOUS, page 2G
Nathan Pearce, CEO of Pearce Bespoke
STAFF PHOTO BY ROBIN MILLER
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery No. 1
Rayne
BR Little Free Art Library shares art resources
BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer
The Walls Project has changed Baton Rouge one mural at a time, but one small white building offers free access to creative inspiration for anyone.
A bit larger than a Little Free Library, the Little Free Art Library is located outside The Walls Project Headquarters at 458 America St., Baton Rouge. Instead of books, this little library holds arts and crafts supplies.
In 2022, Samantha Morgan, the former program manager of The Walls Project, began the Baton Rouge Little Free Art Library to provide a sustainable way for artists to try new things and create without financial limitations. Currently, The Walls Project’s Ann Richè tends to the library organizes materials, connects people to their desired supplies and announces new treasures on the group’s Facebook page.
Richè said the Little Free Art Library is not only a conduit for residents to donate and share art
TAILOR
Continued from page 1G
‘Get into the suit business’ Pearce grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, went to school at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, and right out of college, he promptly started his first company a clothing manufacturing business.
That initial business ended up closing, but the experience of buying a closed L.L. Bean mill in Tylertown, Mississippi, and then rehiring many of the employees taught him a lot of lessons.
“Being a sales guy and a brand builder and a bigidea guy trapped inside a manufacturing company that was not my idea of a dream job,” Pearce said. Even so, manufacturing introduced him to a lot of people, including an older man who was a traveling tailor from the New York City area Their relationship changed the trajectory of Pearce’s life.
“He called me and was like, ‘Well, now that you’re out of the factory what are you going to do next?’” Pearce said. “I’m like, ‘I’m gonna start another clothing brand.’ And his response was, ‘You should get into the suit business.’
To which Pearce replied, “Dude, I don’t know anything about suits.”
The man said, “Well, I’ll teach you.”
So, Pearce spent several months zigzagging across the country, following the traveling tailor Along the way, he learned how to measure, the styling terminology what goes with what and how to pair it with
CURIOUS
Continued from page 1G
Southern Pacific Railroad was coming through, and the town wanted the benefit of being located along its route, now run by the Union Pacific Railroad. The community not only changed its location but also changed its name to Rayne in honor of railroad executive B.W.L. Rayne.
“Whenever the railroad came through in 1880, the priest at St. Joseph decided to move the church to Rayne,” Olinger said. “So they actually moved the church on logs and rolled it to the new location with mules and horses They would move the logs from the back to the front until they got it to the city block where it stands now.” The block had been donated for both the church and cemetery Graves faced the church
“So, soon after I’m sure the priest wanted the graves moved from the old graveyard to the new graveyard,” Olinger said. “And if you think about it, the man who moved the graves dug them
supplies, but it is part of a larger subculture of no-waste and buynothing groups. Instead of trashing unused arts and crafts supplies, community members donate to the Little Free Art Library And, instead of purchasing supplies, individuals use gifted and donated pre-owned fabrics, art supplies, yarn and more.
On trend with the surge in knitting and crocheting, Richè said the most popular supply is yarn, and Baton Rouge has an anonymous “yarn fairy” who donates large quantities of yarn periodically Every few months, the anonymous donor drops off four to five garbage bags full of yarn — more than enough to fill the library
“Within hours, before the end of the day, it’s all gone,” Richè said.
Richè has a porch system for donations that do not fit in the allotted library space. She organizes supplies and what doesn’t fit, she keeps inside her office at the Walls Project until it’s time to refill. The library is set up to be self-sufficient, Richè said, where people take what they need and donate
what they can.
“But a lot of times it’s so full that people will often leave it on our porch, which I encourage,” she said. “Before I started working here, it was just supposed to be self-sufficient, but so many people
wanted to donate, and I hated to turn anything away.”
Donations for the art library often come from community members, businesses and estate sales that are decluttering and the Walls Project’s leftover supplies.
other pieces and patterns In the process, he fell in love with the business.
“I thought it was the coolest model I’d ever seen,” Pearce said.
Compared to the manufacturing business with “ridiculous overhead” and loads of W2 employees and the headaches that go with that, Pearce said the tailoring business seemed like a breeze.
Not to mention the lack of equipment to maintain
“I don’t think a lot of people know this about manufacturing, but when one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong,” Pearce said. “Every brand that we made clothes for, every retailer that we made clothes for — one machine goes down, and they’re all in trouble.”
Versus the old tailor who had no inventory, no retail store, no lease and no employees and big margins.
Pearce says he was excit-
so they would be facing the church, which was north of the graveyard.”
Though this makes perfect sense, Olinger again reiterates that he has no proof of what the gravedigger was thinking The only story that continues to circulate around the community, and even on the internet, is that the gravedigger wasn’t familiar with cemetery protocol, which led to the establishment of the Wrong Way Cemetery
North and south or east and west does it really matter? Apparently so. East-west tradition
In Christian tradition, bodies traditionally are buried facing east with tops of heads pointing westward based on an interpretation of Matthew 24:27 that Jesus’ second coming would be from the east: “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines to the west, so will be the coming
ed to go to work every day
“I just remember thinking I could do something with this,” Pearce said. Selling suits ‘in the swamps’
About that time, he moved to Baton Rouge to be with Anne Hawkins, who he eventually married.
He told her he was getting into the suit business.
“The joke became that if I could sell suits in the swamps of Louisiana, anybody could sell suits anywhere — and I could probably teach ’em how to do it,” he said. “And that’s how we launched.”
He credits the idea of duplicating himself as part of his secret to success.
He sells franchises to others and teaches them how to do the measurements and other details related to helping a client choose all the elements related to a suit. Currently, he has 60 franchises or “territories,” as he calls them. Each goes through training to learn the art and science of measuring, styling and customer service.
Pearce Bespoke works with seven factories overseas to cut and sew the suits and promises some of the fastest turnaround in the world.
“We’re the first and only custom clothing franchise,” Pearce said. “No one’s ever done it before.”
Respectful deadlines
Cole LeBlanc, a landman based in Lafayette, has owned a Pearce Bespoke franchise for about a year The venture into Pearce Bespoke allows him to balance his longtime oil and gas business with his passion for clothes.
He works with two cloth-
of the Son of Man.”
This custom also follows Judaic traditions, which dictate that the body be buried facing east in the direction of Jerusalem as soon as possible after death. In Islam, the body faces east toward Mecca.
Before that, Pagan religions buried their dead facing the rising sun in the east.
So, the tradition wasn’t a new concept when the gravedigger took on the assignment. It’s obvious that he simply didn’t know No sure way of knowing
“We have no way of knowing if the gravedigger dug the graves to face the church, but back then people didn’t have educations,” Olinger said. “And today, there’s no way to research it. I don’t even know if the priest knew it was happening, but by the time it was discovered, it was too late. Everything was already pretty much laid out the way it is now.”
The cemetery’s 2,093 graves, most of which are above-ground tombs, now occupy a city block.
“The northeast corner is where the first graves were placed after they were exhumed from the original cemetery,” Olinger said.
All donations are welcome, but the Walls Project asks that people do not include any combustible items (like spray paint), sharp objects or perishable items.
The Little Free Art Library partners with homeschoolers, nonprofits and other youth organizations to donate supplies that fit the needs of those groups. For example, Youth Oasis a program for teenagers and young adults to visit for emergency shelter, after-school programming and as a drop-in center — benefits from the library
Liniah Slater the program manager for the Basic Center of Youth Oasis, said Richè’s help and the Little Free Art Library has been a jumping-off point to other shared resources that meet the unique needs of Youth Oasis.
Richè said the Little Free Art Library has shown her the Baton Rouge community enjoys sharing their love of arts and crafts with others.
“They don’t want to just consume and throw away,” she said. “They want to give it a new life. And I just think that’s so amazing.”
care of a customer We’re not just selling them a garment.” A balancing act
The company recently launched new technology that offers a 3D suit visualizer so clients are able to see what their suit will look like from every angle.
Pearce also recently named a new company president, Shafik Mina, who lives in Canada. Mina is a former franchisor who sold his company last year
iers, both trained to measure and work with clients to design their suits, shirts and sportscoats.
“The franchise has good training protocols, training videos and support,” LeBlanc said. “From even what it was a year ago till now, it’s much easier to integrate a new clothier and get them off and running.”
A sports coat can range from $750 to $3,000, depending on fabrics and details. A suit starts at $1,000 and can go up to $5,000. Shirts are around $250, LeBlanc said.
“The average turnaround from order placement is about three to four weeks,” LeBlanc said.
LeBlanc says that while the business “leans toward luxury,” it’s not exclusive to those with a high net worth.
“Customers who come to us appreciate what we do,” LeBlanc said. “It’s very intentional. We provide a service. We’re there to take
“That’s now known as St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery No. 1, but it’s full now So, there’s a new cemetery called St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery No. 2, about a mile south of Rayne.”
Where do those graves face?
“Oh, they’re all buried east and west there,” Olinger said. “The sun is supposed to rise in the east at your feet, and that’s how they’re all buried there.”
As for St. Joseph No. 1’s Ripley’s designated distinction of being the nation’s only north-south cemetery, Olinger said that no longer stands.
“There have been other cemeteries that are northsouth that have been found around the country since then,” Olinger said. “But when Ripley’s did the piece on this one, it was the only one that was known at the time.”
Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.
“Anytime you can improve your board of advisers is a good thing,” Pearce said. “Shafik felt like a great fit for the company I focus on what I’m good at — the visionary stuff, making sure that we’re growing so that we can continue expanding, the creative side of the business. I hire for what my weaknesses are.” In the last few weeks, Pearce was in Michigan and back to Palm Beach, where he was measuring and working with clients, some of whom he met through Barron Trump. Pearce is learning a lot about balancing his work with his family life. Two events had a big effect on his work/life balance in January Not only did Barron Trump wear a Pearce Bespoke suit to the inauguration, but Pearce and his wife welcomed Lucy, their second daughter, to the world days before the inauguration.
The proud papa says Eliza, who is 2, enjoys doting on her baby sister Good thing Pearce Bespoke makes women’s clothing too.
Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY ROBIN MILLER
The gravesites in St Joseph Catholic Cemetery No. 1 in Rayne are positioned north and south instead of the traditional east and west which earned it the nickname the ‘Wrong Way Cemetery.’
PROVIDED PHOTO Nathan Pearce, CEO of Pearce Bespoke, and client Jayden Daniels at the Heisman Trophy event in 2023
PROVIDED PHOTO Trace Young, wearing a Pearce Bespoke suit, is flanked by LSU standout athletes Flau’jae Johnson and Olivia Dunn.
COMMUNITY
Seniors take center ring at circus party
The Iota Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi International celebrated the highs and lows of senior life under the “big top of society” by presenting a circusthemed couples’ social on March 14.
“Life, much like a circus, unfolds with a colorful array of acts, unexpected twists and daring feats,” a news release states. “For seniors, having weathered life’s storms and balanced on the tightrope of challenges, are not merely survivors they’re the seasoned trapeze artists of existence, soaring with grace, wisdom and the courage born of experience. Their stories are the heartbeat of the circus we call life.”
This circus was presented in a tent-like environment complete with pennants, a ticket booth, a caged tiger and performances by the chapter members, all resembling circus theme productions and acts.
The ringmaster and voice of the circus was John McGraw, master of ceremonies. Circus acts included ribbon twirling performed by the four visionaries who brought this circus social event to life: Cheryl Foster, Vonnie Brewer, Pat Buturla and Nancy McGraw Their routine weaved their ribbons into a vibrant symphony of color, celebrating the creativity and passion of the social committee members as their ribbons danced through the air No circus is complete without clowns. Darlene Poindexter and McGraw entertained with their comedic capers keeping the audience roaring with laughter
Other circus acts were the strong man, Ken Buturla, who performed feats of human strength that left the audience in awe; Lola, the faithful, trained dog and her trainer Linda Garafola. The dog’s tightrope performance and successful walk
Iota Master Chapter of Beta Sigma
Phi
International
Members of the Iota Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi
International celebrated the highs and lows of ‘senior life’ with a circus-themed couples’ social on March 14. John McGraw was master of ceremonies.
left the crowd spellbound. The trick pony “Charlie,” ridden by Sandy LeJeune, and trained by Charles LeJeune, jumped hurdles with agility The tattoo lady, Vonnie Brewer, showed off her body art and passed out removable tattoos to the crowd. Carolyn Miller presented the dancing dog act, consisting of paw-tapping, tail-wagging pups as she twirled and leaped in the routine. Lynda Smith displayed whimsy and wonder with her artistry and skill as a balloon artist and Bill Smith practiced his skill in “distributing peanuts in the shell.” Also making their appearance were Ernie Poindexter as the bearded lady, and close by was Roy Miller, dressed as “the Lion King.” Jane Haupt was part of the circus staff and a vital part
of this event. The grand finale of the circus was a showdown between the LSU tiger mascot and the Alabama Crimson Tide elephant mascot, who collided in a battle for pride, glory and ultimate bragging rights. Cheryl Foster rode the elephant and Ed Foster the tiger The crowd cheered as it seemed the wild and cunning ferocity of the tiger was winning then the raw and unyielding power of the elephant was evident and all held their breath as the battle raged and ended in LSU’s tiger mascot as the winner Prizes were given and trophies awarded to each performer
Concessionaires provided hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, chips, cotton candy, peanuts, funnel cakes and more.
Lee
The Couyon Girls
Members of the
COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors. Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. If submitting digitally, we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row.We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com
PROVIDED PHOTO
STAFF PHOTO BY JAN RISHER
Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra
Representing
Michael’s at the Mad Hatter’s luncheon/fundraiser for the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra are, from left, Debbie Dumas, Paula Pennington de la Bretonne, Diane Tate, Becky Harris and Michelle Honore. The event took place March 27 at Crowne Plaza in Baton Rouge.
PROVIDED PHOTO
GFWC Lagniappe Woman’s Club
The GFWC Lagniappe Woman’s Club met March 17. Speaker Emily Hunt, a teacher, talked about changes in education Shown are, from left, DiAnne Blouin, Hunt, Virginia McDonald and Wynona Martin.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Couyon Girls, a Baton Rouge social group, attended the Baton Rouge Symphony League Mad Hatters Luncheon 2025. Gathered are, front row, from left, Maggie Collard, Trini Rhorer, Bonnie Bowen, Susan Pellegrin, Deidre Hill and Elena Branzaru; back row, Judy Gonzales, Shasta Felton, Barbara Ruiz, Allyson Eckman, Leonard Augustus, Aimee Dyess, Denise Clause, Kara Baquet, Lynn Graham and Lori LeBlanc. Present but not shown is Deborah Trahan and Teresa Alvarez.
PROVIDED PHOTO
West Side Women’s Club
The West Side Women Club’s March 20 meeting in Brusly included a historic site tour and welcome by Mayor Scott Rhodes. Shown are, from left, Julie Graffeo, Ada Hebert, Alice LeBlanc, Andrea Normand, Sara Grady, Babs Babin and Ann Dugas. Not pictured is Elisa Tubbs.
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