Changes

|residence=[[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], Ouachita Parish<br>Louisiana​

|residence=[[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], Ouachita Parish<br>Louisiana​

|spouse=Mary Flippo Spooner​<br>

|spouse=Mary Flippo Spooner​<br>

|children=Three daughters

|children=Shannon Holloway<br>

|parents=Harry, Sr., and Willie Green Spoon

|parents=Harry, Sr., and Willie Green Spoon

|religion=[[United Methodist]]}}

|religion=[[United Methodist]]}}

==Background==

==Background==

Spooner's father, Harry Spooner, Sr. (1893–1964), originally from [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]], was injured in [[France]] during [[World War I]]. The senior Spooner came to [[Texas]] with the petroleum industry and settled in [[Arkansas]], first El Dorado, Smackover, and finally Stephens in Ouachita County.

Spooner's father, Harry Spooner, Sr. (1893–1964), originally from [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]], was injured in [[France]] during [[World War I]]. The senior Spooner came to [[Texas]] with the petroleum industry and settled in [[Arkansas]], first El Dorado, Smackover, and finally Stephens in Ouachita County. Soonier, Sr., married the former Willie Green (1905–2000). Frank Spooner was born in Stephens<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Frank Spooner", ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007–2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 672.</ref> and graduated in 1955 from Stephens High School. For two years thereafter he attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and then transferred to the [[University of Oklahoma]] at Norman, [[Oklahoma]], from which in 1960 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Land Management. After college, Spooner served in the [[United States Army]] and the Army Reserves, pre-[[Vietnam War]]. From 1960 to 1965, he worked for Humble Oil Company.​<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976," ''Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association,'' LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 346.</ref>

He married the former Willie Green (1905–2000). Frank Spooner was born in Stephens<ref name=whoswho>"Louisiana: Frank Spooner", ''Who's Who in American Politics, 2007–2008'' (Marquis Who's Who: New Providence, [[New Jersey]], 2007), p. 672.</ref> and graduated in 1955 from Stephens High School. For two years thereafter he attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and then transferred to the [[University of Oklahoma]] at Norman, [[Oklahoma]], from which in 1960 he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Land Management. After college, Spooner served in the [[United States Army]] and the Army Reserves, pre-[[Vietnam War]]. From 1960 to 1965, he worked for Humble Oil Company.​<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976," ''Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association,'' LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 346.</ref>

After several years in [[Shreveport]], Spooner moved to Monroe in 1967, and entered into a partnership with his brother, Harry Spooner, Jr. They discovered several natural gas fields in Northeast Louisiana.  After 1971, Spooner operated under his own name until 1980, when he formed Spirit Petroleum Company.  The company name was changed to Mark V Petroleum Company in 1997.​ Over the years these entities were successful in developing additional gas and oil fields, including the first commercial coal seam methane gas production in Louisiana in 2004.​<ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 346.</ref>

After several years in [[Shreveport]], Spooner moved to Monroe in 1967, and entered into a partnership with his brother, Harry Spooner, Jr. They discovered several natural gas fields in Northeast Louisiana.  After 1971, Spooner operated under his own name until 1980, when he formed Spirit Petroleum Company.  The company name was changed to Mark V Petroleum Company in 1997.​ Over the years these entities were successful in developing additional gas and oil fields, including the first commercial coal seam methane gas production in Louisiana in 2004.​<ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 346.</ref>

In preparation for his race and when he expected to face Passman, Spooner attended a Republican candidate training school in [[Washington, D.C.]] The [[Republican National Committee]] sent John Bruce Hildebrand, former editor of the party's ''First Monday'' newsletter who had written speeches for vice-presidential candidate [[Bob Dole]], to work on Spooner's behalf. Jennie Carroll Casey, a reporter at the time for the ''[[Monroe News Star]].'' worked as an unpaid public relations specialist.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' pp. 348–349.</ref>​

In preparation for his race and when he expected to face Passman, Spooner attended a Republican candidate training school in [[Washington, D.C.]] The [[Republican National Committee]] sent John Bruce Hildebrand, former editor of the party's ''First Monday'' newsletter who had written speeches for vice-presidential candidate [[Bob Dole]], to work on Spooner's behalf. Jennie Carroll Casey, a reporter at the time for the ''[[Monroe News Star]].'' worked as an unpaid public relations specialist.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' pp. 348–349.</ref>​

Top-name Republicans, including former Governors [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of California and [[John Connally|John B. Connally, Jr.]], of Texas, later rivals for the party's presidential nomination in 1980, came into the sprawling district, with a large agricultural component, to urge voters to elect Spooner. Connally lashed out at the increased power of the House Democratic Caucus, which he maintained had undermined the influence of the more moderate party members, such as then U.S. Senator [[Russell Long]] of Louisiana.<ref>''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' October 26, 1976.</ref> Connally did not know Spooner, but he had known Mrs. Spooner, the former Mary Flippo, when she was a child in the Connally neighborhood in [[Fort Worth]] in the 1950s. Reagan and Connally gave the race a high profile and helped to provide critical financial support for Spooner<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 348.</ref>

Top-name Republicans, including former Governors [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of California and [[John Connally|John B. Connally, Jr.]], of Texas, later rivals for the party's presidential nomination in 1980, came into the sprawling district, with a large agricultural component, to urge voters to elect Spooner. Connally lashed out at the increased power of the House Democratic Caucus, which he maintained had undermined the influence of the more moderate party members, such as then U.S. Senator [[Russell Long]] of Louisiana.<ref>''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' October 26, 1976.</ref> Connally did not know Spooner, but he had known Mrs. Spooner, the former Mary Flippo (c. 1942-2025), known as "Flip," when she was a child in the Connally neighborhood in [[Fort Worth]] in the 1950s. Mrs. Spooner was the wedding director at the First United Methodist Church in Monroe, sang in the church choir for forty years, and served as parliamentarian for the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/obituaries/plou1181283|title=Mary Flippo Spooner obituary|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|date=May 21, 2025}}</ref> Reagan and Connally gave the race a high profile and helped to provide critical financial support for Spooner.<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 348.</ref>

Reagan appeared in Monroe and Connally in West Monroe and [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], the oldest city in the state. Huckaby, who like Spooner was a political newcomer, nevertheless developed effective television advertising critical of out-of-state politicians trying to influence voters in an otherwise unnoticed Louisiana district.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=22703104|title=At Monroe Motel, Reagan Views Debate|author=[[Kathy Spurlock]]|date=September 24, 1976|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|access-date=August 12, 2018|author-link2=Photographer Jack Dietle}}

Reagan appeared in Monroe and Connally in West Monroe and [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], the oldest city in the state. Huckaby, who like Spooner was a political newcomer, nevertheless developed effective television advertising critical of out-of-state politicians trying to influence voters in an otherwise unnoticed Louisiana district.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=22703104|title=At Monroe Motel, Reagan Views Debate|author=[[Kathy Spurlock]]|date=September 24, 1976|publisher=''Monroe News Star''|access-date=August 12, 2018|author-link2=Photographer Jack Dietle}}</ref><ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 348.</ref>​

</ref><ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 348.</ref>​

Spooner hoped to poll convincing majorities in urban areas of the district to offset expected losses in rural regions, where voting Republican was still comparatively rare at the time except for the presidential level on occasion. He aimed particularly at winning in his own Monroe and West Monroe as well as Natchitoches, [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], Bastrop, and Winnfield. The [[general election]] turnout was more than double that of the Passman-Huckaby race because, while Huckaby and Spooner sought the House seat, in the same November 2 election, [[Jimmy Carter]] and the unelected incumbent, [[Gerald Ford]], were the nominees for U.S. President.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 349.</ref>​

Spooner hoped to poll convincing majorities in urban areas of the district to offset expected losses in rural regions, where voting Republican was still comparatively rare at the time except for the presidential level on occasion. He aimed particularly at winning in his own Monroe and West Monroe as well as Natchitoches, [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], Bastrop, and Winnfield. The [[general election]] turnout was more than double that of the Passman-Huckaby race because, while Huckaby and Spooner sought the House seat, in the same November 2 election, [[Jimmy Carter]] and the unelected incumbent, [[Gerald Ford]], were the nominees for U.S. President.<ref>''Louisiana History,'' p. 349.</ref>​