The Krewe du Grande Bois celebrated their 40th annual
Mardi Gras Ball on February 21 at the Habibi Temple.
The theme was Once Upon a Time in TV Land.
The Duke and Duchess of The Addams Family are
David and Dianna Burnthorn. David graduated from
McNeese State University and has owned Subway franchises
for 25 years and The Store UPS Franchise for 15
years. Married for 24 years, David and Diana live in
Moss Bluff and have a son and daughter. They have lived
in Moss Bluff since 1995.
The Duke and Duchess of the Flintstones are John
and Jodi Fontenot of Lake Charles. Former owners of
Gulf Coast Carpet and Decorating Center, they are now
enjoying retirement and stay busy traveling, flipping
houses and spending time with their ever-growing family.
John is a member of the Greater Lake Charles Rotary
Club and the current president of the board of the
Lake Charles Women’s Shelter (Oasis A Safe Haven).
The Duke of Happy Days and the Duchess of Laverne
& Shirley are Ray and Phyllis Babin of Lake
Charles. They have been Krewe members for nine years,
and were Duke and Duchess in 2013 and King and
Queen in 2017. They were high school sweethearts in
Houma, and moved to Lake Charles in 1984. They have
been married for 41 years with two children and three
grandchildren, and are members of Our Lady Queen of
Heaven Parish. Ray and Phyllis have owned and operated
ASI Office Systems in Lake Charles for the past 36
years. When they aren’t with their grandchildren, they
enjoy traveling. Ray is a member of the Greater Lake
Charles Rotary Club, and currently serves as Krewe du
Grande Bois Vice-President. Together they are enjoying
life and looking forward to what the next day brings.
Duke and Duchess of I Dream of Jeannie are Sam
and Denise Hebert. Duke Sam attended Lake Charles
High School and McNeese State University. The owner
of the Sam Hebert Financial Group, you may know him
from “Perhaps we should talk.” Denise was born on New
York City and moved to Lake Charles when she was 13.
She is a graduate of Barbe High School and McNeese
State University and has a talent for photography. They
have been married for 40 years and have three children,
Elizabeth, Kayla and Brian. Denise and Sam have been
Krewe members for many years. Denise is the Krewe
historian, and they have served on Court several times,
including King and Queen in 2011.
Dudley and Becky Pitre are the Captains of Laugh-
In. They have been married 46 years and have three
daughters and eight grandchildren. They are retired and
enjoying life in Westlake.
The King and Queen of TV Land – In Living Color,
a Salute to the Sonny & Cher Show are Dr. Michael
and Cathy Kurth.
Dr. Kurth is a Michigan native. He served in the Army
as a Russian linguist and intelligence analyst and earned
a B.A. degree in international economics from the Monterey
42 • MARDI GRAS SOUTHWEST • FEBRUARY 24, 2020
Institute for International Studies, and his Ph.D. in
economics from Virginia Tech where he studied public
finance and public choice under Nobel laureate James
Buchanan. He joined the faculty of McNeese State University
in 1984 and served as Department Head for eight
years and Director of the H.C. Drew Center for Business
2020 King and Queen of Krewe du Grande Bois
Dr. Michael and Cathy Kurth