Oubre remembered as ‘dedicated public servant’
Longtime St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court Charles Oubre passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 86.
St. Charles Parish President Larry Cochran has ordered that flags be at half staff on July 22 to honor Oubre’s memory.
“It was with heavy hearts that we learned of the passing of Charlie Oubre this week,” said Cochran. “He was a respected leader, public servant and friend and we are thankful for the many years he served as Clerk of Court here in St. Charles Parish. We will continue to keep his family in our prayers.”
Oubre served as clerk from 1979-2012. When Oubre was first elected, he integrated the first computers into the clerk’s office and tripled the size of the staff. Prior to Oubre’s election, the clerk’s office was operating on a manually operated system. He was one of the first 11 clerk of courts in Louisiana to become certified.
St. Charles Clerk of Court Lance Marino, who succeeded Oubre in 2012, called his predecessor “a dedicated public servant for all of his adult life.”
“Mr. Charlie will be missed,” Marino said. “I know his former employees here at our office have lost a friend. Even after his career at the courthouse was complete, he continued serving the community. He was the chairman for the American Legion blood drive for years. He kept going.”
He also credited him for building a strong foundation at the clerk’s office for many years.
“He left behind a professional, well-trained staff and provided me the building blocks to establish today’s modern clerk of court office,” Marino said.
Oubre, a graduate of Hahnville High School in 1947, played professional baseball until he volunteered for duty in the United States Army in 1948. He served three years in Tokyo and fought in the Korean Conflict under General Douglas MacArthur.
He returned home, put the finishing touches on his baseball career and entered into a career of public service in 1963. He served as the chief deputy at the St. Charles Sheriff’s Office from 1968 to 1972. He later became the judicial administrator for the 29th Judicial Court before he was elected to the clerk of court position in 1978.
Oubre volunteered his time to American Legion Baseball and served on the board of the Krewe of Lul Mardi Gras Committee. Oubre was also a Eucharistic minister for the Holy Rosary Church in Hahnville and a treasurer for the Knights of Columbus.
He was very involved with American Legion Post 131, or the Hahnville High School-based Otto Candies baseball team.
“He loved being around the program and loved baseball itself,” said Kade Rogers, who was Hahnville and Otto Candies baseball head coach during Oubre’s tenure with the team. “Our kids definitely knew him, liked him and accepted him into their baseball family, and really there’s no bigger compliment.”
Rogers called Oubre an “extremely, extremely great person” and said Oubre’s accomplishments speak for themselves.
“When you consider his years of service for his country, American Legion, as Clerk of Court, it adds up in a hurry,” Rogers said. “I know he always made sure we had whatever we needed when we needed it. He was a staple of the program and he’s going to truly be missed. I can’t say enough about the person he is.”
Oubre and his wife, Cara, had five children, Charles III, Cody, Conley, Chet and Cara.
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