Changes

==Political career==​

==Political career==​

A colorful figure, Sampite' (pronounced SAM PUH TAH) wore white socks, a habit begun during his early days as a coach. He distributed "I Love Natchitoches" stickers by the thousands during his twenty years in municipal office and was instrumental in bringing the filming to Natchitoches of Dolly Parton's ''Steel Magnolias''.<ref name=obit/> Coincidentally, the year that Sampite graduated from [[Northwestern State University]], another picture was filmed in Natchitoches, [[John Wayne]]'s ''The Horse Soldiers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.natchitochestour.com/stars.htm|title=Personalities Along the Cane|publisher=natchitochestour.com|accessdate=May 20, ; no longer on-line.}}</ref>​​

A colorful figure, Sampite' (pronounced SAM PUH TAY) wore white socks, a habit begun during his early days as a coach. He distributed "I Love Natchitoches" stickers by the thousands during his twenty years in municipal office and was instrumental in bringing the filming to Natchitoches of Dolly Parton's ''Steel Magnolias''.<ref name=obit/> Coincidentally, the year that Sampite graduated from [[Northwestern State University]], another picture was filmed in Natchitoches, [[John Wayne]]'s ''The Horse Soldiers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.natchitochestour.com/stars.htm|title=Personalities Along the Cane|publisher=natchitochestour.com|accessdate=May 20, ; no longer on-line.}}</ref>​​

In his first election as mayor in 1980, Sampite', a native of [[New Orleans]], unseated the one-term incumbent Robert DeBlieux. As mayor, he expanded the city's fire and police departments and recreation program and directed improvements in infrastructure and the Natchitoches airport.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-sampite&pid=157691111|title=Joe Sampite obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=May 20, 2012}}</ref>​

In his first election as mayor in 1980, Sampite', a native of [[New Orleans]], unseated the one-term incumbent Robert DeBlieux. As mayor, he expanded the city's fire and police departments and recreation program and directed improvements in infrastructure and the Natchitoches airport.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-sampite&pid=157691111|title=Joe Sampite obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=May 20, 2012}}</ref>​

David West, the Northwestern State University news bureau director in 2012, described Sampite' as "a tireless advocate for Natchitoches and NSU. He loved NSU a lot. He was always available to speak to freshmen at our Freshman Connection and was a commencement speaker at one of our graduations. Mayor Sampite' was one of a kind."<ref name=adtt/> A Joe Sampite' Scholarship Fund was established at the Northwestern State University Foundation.<ref name=obit/>

David West, the Northwestern State University news bureau director in 2012, described Sampite' as "a tireless advocate for Natchitoches and NSU. He loved NSU a lot. He was always available to speak to freshmen at our Freshman Connection and was a commencement speaker at one of our graduations. Mayor Sampite' was one of a kind."<ref name=adtt/> A Joe Sampite' Scholarship Fund was established at the Northwestern State University Foundation.<ref name=obit/>

==References==

 

References==

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