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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, in 1959, the year that Sampite graduated from [[Northwestern State University]], another motion 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, in 1959, the year that Sampite graduated from [[Northwestern State University]], another motion 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=https://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>​

As the president of the Louisiana Municipal Association from 1986 to 1987, he was the first recipient of that organization's President's Award. At the turn of the 21st century, ''The Shreveport Times''' named Sampite' among its "Top 100 Influential People in Northwest Louisiana." In 2000, he was inducted into the Northwestern State University Hall of Distinction, or Long Purple Line, the highest designation for NSU alumni.<ref name=obit/> In 2002, he was named to the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lapoliticalmuseum.com/inductees.php|title=Political Hall of Fame|publisher=lapoliticalmuseum.com|accessdate=May 20, 2012}}</ref>​

As the president of the Louisiana Municipal Association from 1986 to 1987, he was the first recipient of that organization's President's Award. At the turn of the 21st century, ''The Shreveport Times''' named Sampite' among its "Top 100 Influential People in Northwest Louisiana." In 2000, he was inducted into the Northwestern State University Hall of Distinction, or Long Purple Line, the highest designation for NSU alumni.<ref name=obit/> In 2002, he was named to the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lapoliticalmuseum.com/inductees.php|title=Political Hall of Fame|publisher=lapoliticalmuseum.com|accessdate=May 20, 2012}}</ref>​