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In 1944, Blair, though he had two small children, enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] and served in the Pacific Theater of Operations for the remainder of [[World War II]].​

In 1944, Blair, though he had two small children, enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] and served in the Pacific Theater of Operations for the remainder of [[World War II]].​

​==Legislative highlights==​

==Legislative highlights==

Blair was affiliated with the anti-[[Earl Long|Long]] faction of his state's party, principally because he loathed [[corruption]] and favoritism in government.​

Blair was affiliated with the anti-[[Earl Long|Long]] faction of his state's party, principally because he loathed [[corruption]] and favoritism in government.​

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In 1987, Blair attempted to regain the Senate seat. He and outgoing state Representative Jock Scott, then a convert to the Republican Party, challenged McPherson, who carried the support of [[AFL-CIO]] state president [[Victor Bussie]]. McPherson polled 16,950 (51 percent) in the primary and hence retained the seat outright. Scott trailed with 12,346 votes (37 percent). Blair netted 4,245 votes (13 percent). <ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> In 1995, Blair once more attempted to regain the Senate seat but failed to make the general election runoff in a field of seven candidates. The Reverend [[B.G. Dyess]], the retired Rapides Parish voter registrar and a Baptist clergyman who campaigned against [[gambling]], won the state Senate seat. Dyess served for four years and, because of his wife's health, did not seek a second term in 1999. McPherson made an unsuccessful bid for Public Service Commissioner in 1995, having been defeated by Dale Sittig of Eunice. McPherson returned to the Senate in 2000 and easily won a third consecutive term in the primary held on October 20, 2007, the same electionwhich propelled [[Bobby Jindal]] to the governorship.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995, and October 20, 2007.</ref>

In 1987, Blair attempted to regain the Senate seat. He and outgoing state Representative Jock Scott, then a convert to the Republican Party, challenged McPherson, who carried the support of [[AFL-CIO]] state president [[Victor Bussie]]. McPherson polled 16,950 (51 percent) in the primary and hence retained the seat outright. Scott trailed with 12,346 votes (37 percent). Blair netted 4,245 votes (13 percent). <ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> In 1995, Blair once more attempted to regain the Senate seat but failed to make the general election runoff in a field of seven candidates. The Reverend [[B.G. Dyess]], the retired Rapides Parish voter registrar and a Baptist clergyman who campaigned against [[gambling]], won the state Senate seat. Dyess served for four years and, because of his wife's health, did not seek a second term in 1999. McPherson made an unsuccessful bid for Public Service Commissioner in 1995, having been defeated by Dale Sittig of Eunice. McPherson returned to the Senate in 2000 and easily won a third consecutive term in the primary held on October 20, 2007, the same electionwhich propelled [[Bobby Jindal]] to the governorship.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995, and October 20, 2007.</ref>

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==Blair's legacy and obituary==​

==Legacy==​

Blair put his entomological skills to use with his Blair Laboratories pesticide business, which he operated for many years in Alexandria. Daughter Rebecca Tisdale said that her father was too independent to work for others; so he chose self-employment in farming and pesticides. She said that her father struggled as a youth and was dismissed as "white trash" because of his poverty. Such obstacles made him exceptionally determined to succeed: he was the kind of man who could not easily accept rejection. His life story fits the [[Horatio Alger]] mode<ref name=statement>Statement of Rebecca Blair Tisdale of Alexandria.</ref>

Blair put his entomological skills to use with his Blair Laboratories pesticide business, which he operated for many years in Alexandria. Daughter Rebecca Tisdale said that her father was too independent to work for others; so he chose self-employment in farming and pesticides. She said that her father struggled as a youth and was dismissed as "white trash" because of his poverty. Such obstacles made him exceptionally determined to succeed: he was the kind of man who could not easily accept rejection. His life story fits the [[Horatio Alger]] mode<ref name=statement>Statement of Rebecca Blair Tisdale of Alexandria.</ref>

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Cecil and Susie Blair are interred at Greenwood Memorial Park in Pineville.​

Cecil and Susie Blair are interred at Greenwood Memorial Park in Pineville.​

 

==References==​

==References==

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