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→In retirement
==In retirement==
==In retirement==
Bussie's second wife was the former Frances "Fran" Martinez Nolan (born May 6, 1935),<ref>[http://find.intelius.com/search-summary-out.php?ReportType=1& Intelius People Search - Public Records, Background Checks & More<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> herself a political activist, who in the 1980s was a member of the [[Democratic National Committee]].<ref>November primary gets nod", ''Minden Press-Herald'', June 2, 1983, p. 1.</ref> Fran Bussie's parents were John O. Martinez (1906–1990) and Althea Williams Martinez (1914–2003) of New Orleans.<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi; http://web.archive.org/web/20071031083718/http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/la/orleans/obits/1/m-07.txt]</ref> Her brothers are Tony and Johnny Martinez.<ref name=obit/> Bussie's first wife, from whom he was [[divorce]]d, was the former Gertrude Foley (October 15, 1918 – September 16, 2005), who died in Round Rock in [[suburban]] Williamson County, Texas.<ref>[http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi; http://altlaw.org/v1/cases/855272]</ref>
Bussie was affiliated with the [[liberal]] wing of the Democratic Party. In 1964, he campaigned even in north Louisiana, a stronghold of the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[U.S. Senator]] [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] that year, on behalf of President Lyndon Johnson, who lost that region by a large margin in the last election prior to passage of the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], which thereafter enfranchised tens of thousands of black voters, most of whom became automatic Democrats. Bussie was even closer to Johnson's [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]], [[Hubert H. Humphrey]] of [[Minnesota]], who had attended [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge during the 1930s but failed to win the state's [[electoral vote]]s in 1968.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838210,00.html?iid=chix-sphere; http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/weberman/jcooper.htm]</ref>
Bussie was affiliated with the [[liberal]] wing of the Democratic Party. In 1964, he campaigned even in north Louisiana, a stronghold of the [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[U.S. Senator]] [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] that year, on behalf of President Lyndon Johnson, who lost that region by a large margin in the last election prior to passage of the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]], which thereafter enfranchised tens of thousands of black voters, most of whom became automatic Democrats. Bussie was even closer to Johnson's [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]], [[Hubert H. Humphrey]] of [[Minnesota]], who had attended [[Louisiana State University]] in Baton Rouge during the 1930s but failed to win the state's [[electoral vote]]s in 1968.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838210,00.html?iid=chix-sphere; http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/weberman/jcooper.htm]</ref>
After leaving the union presidency, Bussie joined a group of Louisiana business and political leaders, including the former Republican Governor [[David C. Treen]], in unsuccessfully effort to obtain from President [[George W. Bush]] a pardon of the imprisoned Governor [[Edwin Edwards]]. Not until 2011, was Edwards released from the federal corrections facility in Oakdale in Allen Parish because of his conviction of [[bribery]]. Bussie supported Edwards in all four of the Democrat's successful gubernatorial campaigns. Edwards once said that Bussie was the single-most influential person in his administration.<ref>[http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?/newsstory/ewe05.html; https://books.google.com/books?id=FiRbQYoZtv0C&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=Victor+Bussie+&source=web&ots=4hgUssswTT&sig=fBYDo8JZMtozkEh7ShAN-ppYjT8&hl=en]</ref> Bussie also endorsed at least one Republican candidate in Louisiana, John S. Treen, the older brother of David Treen. John Treen lost to [[David Duke]] in the 1989 [[special election]] for the Louisiana state House from Jefferson Parish.
After leaving the union presidency, Bussie joined a group of Louisiana business and political leaders, including the former Republican Governor [[David C. Treen]], in unsuccessfully effort to obtain from President [[George W. Bush]] a pardon of the imprisoned Governor [[Edwin Edwards]]. Not until 2011, was Edwards released from the federal corrections facility in Oakdale in Allen Parish because of his conviction of [[bribery]]. Bussie supported Edwards in all four of the Democrat's successful gubernatorial campaigns. Edwards once said that Bussie was the single-most influential person in his administration.<ref>[http://www.nola.com/printer/printer.ssf?/newsstory/ewe05.html; https://books.google.com/books?id=FiRbQYoZtv0C&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=Victor+Bussie+&source=web&ots=4hgUssswTT&sig=fBYDo8JZMtozkEh7ShAN-ppYjT8&hl=en]</ref> Bussie also endorsed at least one Republican candidate in Louisiana, John S. Treen, the older brother of David Treen. John Treen lost to [[David Duke]] in the 1989 [[special election]] for the Louisiana state House from Jefferson Parish.
In 1994, along with the late U.S. Senator [[Allen J. Ellender]], Bussie was among the second round of public figures inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>[http://cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He was a recipient of the "Racial Justice Award" given annually by the Baton Rouge [Young Women's Christian Association.<ref>[http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=ejIPK6OYG&b=241227 Racial Justice Award - Greater Baton Rouge<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 1998, Bussie and former Governor [[John McKeithen]] were among recipients named "Living Legends" by the Louisiana [[Public Broadcasting Service]].<ref>[http://www.lpb.org/friends/lalegends/pastlegends.cfm Louisiana Legends<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In 1994, along with the late U.S. Senator [[Allen J. Ellender]], Bussie was among the second round of public figures inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref>[http://cityofwinnfield.com/museum.html Winnfield, La - Old L&A Depot, LA Political Museum<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> He was a recipient of the "Racial Justice Award" given annually by the Baton Rouge [Young Women's Christian Association.<ref>[http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=ejIPK6OYG&b=241227 Racial Justice Award - Greater Baton Rouge<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 1998, Bussie and former Governor [[John McKeithen]] were among recipients named "Living Legends" by the Louisiana [[Public Broadcasting Service]].<ref>[http://www.lpb.org/friends/lalegends/pastlegends.cfm Louisiana Legends<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In 1997, Bussie received an honorary degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, and other such honorary degrees followed. Then Southeastern President Sally Clausen described Bussie as "an individual who has distinguished himself through his quiet but steadfast work for the underprivileged and his strong stand for justice. He has been a lifelong supporter of education, serving as an advocate for quality instruction and a voice of support for higher education... ".<ref>[http://www2.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/bl12-3.htm ByLion-December 3, 1997<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In 1997, Bussie received an honorary degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, and other such honorary degrees followed. Then Southeastern President Sally Clausen described Bussie as "an individual who has distinguished himself through his quiet but steadfast work for the underprivileged and his strong stand for justice. He has been a lifelong supporter of education, serving as an advocate for quality instruction and a voice of support for higher education... ".<ref>[http://www2.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/bl12-3.htm ByLion-December 3, 1997<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
With back problems, Bussie resigned in 2008 from his last state board, the University of Louisiana System Supervisors. He and his wife, Fran, left their home and moved into the St. James Place retirement community in Baton Rouge. In an interview with ''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate'', Bussie indicated that he would not write a book of memoirs despite his significance to 20th-century Louisiana history. He has been named the 2008 recipient of the "Friend of Education" award from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the [[American Federation of Teachers]]. Bussie said that he had long promoted educational opportunity because college had never been an option for him. Bussie's papers are in the archive] of the University of Louisiana at [[Lafayette]].<ref>[http://library.louisiana.edu/Spec/MSS/ UL Lafayette: Library: Special Collections: Archives Manuscripts Guide<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Victor and Fran Bussie completed an oral history for the office of the Louisiana Secretary of State's office.<ref name=blum/>
With back problems, Bussie resigned in 2008 from his last state board, the University of Louisiana System Supervisors. He and his wife, Fran, left their home and moved into the St. James Place retirement community in Baton Rouge. In an interview with ''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate,'' Bussie indicated that he would not write a book of memoirs despite his significance to 20th-century Louisiana history. He has been named the 2008 recipient of the "Friend of Education" award from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the [[American Federation of Teachers]]. Bussie said that he had long promoted educational opportunity because college had never been an option for him. Bussie's papers are in the archive] of the University of Louisiana at [[Lafayette]].<ref>[http://library.louisiana.edu/Spec/MSS/ UL Lafayette: Library: Special Collections: Archives Manuscripts Guide<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Victor and Fran Bussie completed an oral history for the office of the Louisiana Secretary of State's office.<ref name=blum/>
==Legacy==
==Legacy==
[[Bob Mann]], LSU communications professor, said that Bussie was more influential than many governors. "I can't think of anyone who wielded so much power for such an extended period of time." Mann described Bussie as "a living, breathing treasure trove of Louisiana's political history" but "so soft-spoken and modest." Mann said that over the years Bussie was just doing his job: “It was his job to place labor in the most powerful positions he could,” Mann said. “He wielded a lot of power, but he did it in a soft-spoken and respectful way.”
[[Bob Mann]], LSU communications professor, said that Bussie was more influential than many governors. "I can't think of anyone who wielded so much power for such an extended period of time." Mann described Bussie as "a living, breathing treasure trove of Louisiana's political history" but "so soft-spoken and modest." Mann said that over the years Bussie was just doing his job: “It was his job to place labor in the most powerful positions he could,” Mann said. “He wielded a lot of power, but he did it in a soft-spoken and respectful way.”