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'''Joseph Michael Sampite'''', known as '''Joe Sampite'''' (January 22, 1931 – May 18, 2012), was a [[Louisiana]] [[politician]] known for promotion of his adopted hometown of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], of which he served as the [[mayor]] from 1980 to 2000.

'''Joseph Michael Sampite'''', known as '''Joe Sampite'''' (January 22, 1931 – May 18, 2012), was a [[Louisiana]] [[politician]] known for promotion of his adopted hometown of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], of which he served as the [[mayor]] from 1980 to 2000.

==Political career==​

 

==Political career==

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>​​

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>​​