Changes

==Background==

==Background==

A son of Paul E. Lutes, Sr., (1908-1984) and the former Clara Sheets (1905-1997), he enlisted in the [[United States Army]] and served in an engineering battalion in the [[Korean War]]. Thereafter, he attended the [[Baptist]]-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] and then earned law degrees from both Loyola University in [[New Orleans]] and the [[University of Mississippi]] at Oxford. In addition to his Colfax law practice, he owned and operated Lutesville Sand and Gravel Company, which makes asphalt and ready-mix concrete for the construction industry.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lutes&GSfn=Billy&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=23593336&df=all&|title=Billy Gene Lutes|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref>

One of four children of Paul E. Lutes, Sr., (1908-1984) and the former Clara Sheets (1905-1997), with two brothers surviving, he enlisted in the [[United States Army]] and served in an engineering battalion in the [[Korean War]]. Thereafter, he attended the [[Baptist]]-affiliated Louisiana College in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] and then earned law degrees from both Loyola University in [[New Orleans]] and the [[University of Mississippi]] at Oxford. In addition to his Colfax law practice, he owned and operated Lutesville Sand and Gravel Company, which makes asphalt and ready-mix concrete for the construction industry.<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lutes&GSfn=Billy&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=23593336&df=all&|title=Billy Gene Lutes|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=September 14, 2017}}</ref> His sister, Mary Louise Lutes Harlan (1928-2017), was a registered nurse from Pineville who was born in Black Rock in Lawrence County in northeastern [[Arkansas]]. She was the widow of Jack T. Harlan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=mary-louise-lutes-harlan&pid=186950810|title=Mary Louise Lutes Harlan|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=October 17, 2017}}</ref>

In 1960, Lutes married the former Virginia Lee Marler (1935-2017), daughter of a prominent Colfax couple, James Everett Marler, I (died 1979), and the former Wilma Bunch (1906-1995). The Luteses had two children, both of Colfax, Julianne Despino (born March 14, 1962) and husband Randall Holden Despino (born March 8, 1961), and Billy Lutes, II (born March 31, 1964), and wife Cheryl Denise Lutes (born October 25, 1966).<ref name=obit/><ref name=herobit/>

In 1960, Lutes married the former Virginia Lee Marler (1935-2017), daughter of a prominent Colfax couple, James Everett Marler, I (died 1979), and the former Wilma Bunch (1906-1995). The Luteses had two children, both of Colfax, Julianne Despino (born March 14, 1962) and husband Randall Holden Despino (born March 8, 1961), and Billy Lutes, II (born March 31, 1964), and wife Cheryl Denise Lutes (born October 25, 1966).<ref name=obit/><ref name=herobit/>

Lutes sat on the boards of the  Alexandria Country Day School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, and of the Kisatchie Delta Law Enforcement agency. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and a Shriner. He was an [[Eagle Scout]] and past den leader of the Attakapas Council of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] at Alexandria Country Day School. He was a board member of St. Philip's [[Episcopalian|Episcopal Church]] in Boyce in northwestern Rapides Parish.<ref name=obit/>

Lutes sat on the boards of the  Alexandria Country Day School in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], Louisiana, and of the Kisatchie Delta Law Enforcement agency. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and a Shriner. He was an [[Eagle Scout]] and past den leader of the Attakapas Council of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] at Alexandria Country Day School. He was a board member of St. Philip's [[Episcopalian|Episcopal Church]] in Boyce in northwestern Rapides Parish.<ref name=obit/>

 

==Career==

==Career==

Lutes ran unsuccessfully in the 1959 [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] for state representative for Grant Parish. He lost to William K. Brown,<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 13, 1959, p. 4-B.</ref> who held the seat from 1960 to 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2012 |publisher=legis.state.la.us |accessdate=September 17, 2017}}</ref>

Lutes ran unsuccessfully in the 1959 [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] for state representative for Grant Parish. He lost to William K. Brown,<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', December 13, 1959, p. 4-B.</ref> who held the seat from 1960 to 1972.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2012 |publisher=legis.state.la.us |accessdate=September 17, 2017}}</ref>