We are posting this biography Bill wrote for our webpage:

My wife and I are both from the same small town, Kinder, Louisiana. I graduated from LSU in Baton Rouge in 1986 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. My first broadcasting job was in radio when I was 12 years old. I continued to work in radio throughout high school and college.

I like working in Southeast Texas because it feels like home. It's a big enough metropolitan area that is has a lot to offer but still small enough to know your neighbors. We love that it's so close to the beach and take advantage of that every chance we get. Both of my daughters were born in Beaumont, and my wife Tecoo and I have been here since I started working at KFDM 18 years ago.

My aunt, Rita Leger has lived in this area for 40 years and for the past 10 years she has lived right next door to us. We took the fence down in the backyard between our houses so we have a little compound. My daughters love going back and forth between the houses.

When we're not working we enjoy spending time at Crystal Beach. It's our favorite home away from home. My girls love it.

When we visit family in Kinder, we usually drop by Fred's in Mamou to watch my uncle's Cajun band perform. My parents, Stanley and Kathryn, love the fact that our newscast now streams live on the internet because it means they can watch it from their home in Kinder.

If I mispronounce something, I'll usually get a text from them right then during the newscast. I thought I would enjoy the fact that they now text, but actually not so much. :)

We were asked to list some of our most memorable stories.

1. Hurricane Rita:

The stories that are most memorable to me include those we covered during Hurricanes Rita and Ike. Several of us remained at the tv station after the evacuation for Rita, and it was surreal driving into my empty subdivision to clean out my refrigerator and secure the house. When the weather deteriorated we moved to the Entergy building. There were hundreds of first responders. There was media from all over the world. When the windows downstairs began to break from the wind, it was clear Rita had arrived. Greg Bostwick did interviews with Shepard Smith of Fox News during the storm. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

2. Hurricane Ike:

We had some experience covering Ike because of what we learned during Rita 2 years earlier. However, we spent more time gathering news during the storm than we had done with Rita. Several of us moved into the tv station. We slept on air mattresses in a number of offices. About 1am Kelli and I and her husband Bob Phillips along with our photographer David Moore decided to get some video of the hurricane making landfall. We made it all the way to the Port Arthur seawall by Rose Hill. It was very dark and trees and signs littered the roads. We shined our headlights on the seawall and saw the waves of water coming over the top. We decided going there was unsafe and not very smart. We quickly left and made it back safely. Seeing the devastation across the area the next day when the sun came up was heartbreaking. A few days later the police allowed us to go to Crystal Beach. The peninsula was deserted except for a few property owners who had ridden out the storm. Vehicles, appliances, golf cars and personal property were strewn everywhere. It was very sad. I'm amazed at how quickly the place recovered. It's definitely the determination of the people who love Crystal Beach that made it happen. We spend as much time there as possible. I will never forget what wind and water can do.

3. On the road with Tracy Byrd:

In the 1990's we had the chance to go on the road as Tracy Byrd toured the country. We got to spend several days with Tracy traveling to shows in Nevada and California. He performed at UCLA and there was a great turnout of Country music fans. Tracy said he never knew he had fans on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, but he did. He was doing a magazine shoot and people were waiting in line to take a picture with him. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

4. Salon Secrets:

We did a series of reports on the health threats unsanitary nail salons pose to the public. Betty Davis of Beaumont who worked in the industry for years agreed to go undercover for us to expose these dangers. Betty was later invited to speak before a legislative committee about these risks, and they had a chance to see our reports. In the end, the legislature enacted a new regulation that gives the state the authority to immediately shut down any salon that poses a serious health threat to the public.

OBITUARY FROM BROUSSARD'S MORTUARY:

William “Bill” Stanley Leger, Jr.

Bill Leger, 48, of Beaumont, died in an automobile accident Saturday, December 22, 2012.

He was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 6, 1964. Bill attended elementary and junior high school in Crowley, Louisiana, and graduated from Kinder High School. Bill attended Louisiana State University where he graduated from the Manship School of Journalism, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism.

Bill’s professional career began early when he was hired to work part-time at KSIG Radio in Crowley at the young age of 12. While on air, he lowered his voice to disguise his youth. After his family moved to Kinder, Louisiana, he worked on the radio in Oakdale, Louisiana, and as a weekend DJ at Fontenot’s Roller Rink in Kinder. Before even obtaining his driver’s license, Bill began working at KEUN Radio and had to be chauffeured by his parents to the station for several months. While attending LSU, he was employed at KJJB Radio.

Bill’s work in television began at Fox 29 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He next reported for KFDM in Beaumont before becoming a news anchor at KATC, Channel 3, in Lafayette, Louisiana. Bill then served as a nightly news anchor at KFDM for eighteen years until his death. He was the unique combination of an investigative reporter and news anchor.

Bill garnered several prestigious awards during his long career at KFDM. His pride was the Emmy for news coverage during and after Hurricane Rita and his Edward R. Murrow Award. He received the Silver Beaver Award for his service to the Boy Scouts of America.

Bill is remembered for his selfless gifts of time and talent to a wide variety of charities. It was a rare week that he did not act as a master of ceremonies at a benefit for a worthwhile organization, such as the Children’s Miracle Network, the Julie Rogers Gift of Life, the Hughen Center, Buckner’s Children’s Home, and Catholic Charities, among many others.

Bill is survived by his wife, Patricia “Tecoo” Saucier Leger; daughters, Tatum Leger and Victoria “Tori” Leger; parents, Kathryn and Stanley Leger; sister, Rita Leger Rush and her husband, Jason; aunt, Rita Faye Leger, who was also his next-door neighbor; aunt and godmother, Sherry Fournet Holmes and her husband, Bruce; aunt, Mary Sue Fontenot and her husband, Donald; as well as a host of much-loved cousins and friends.

A gathering of Mr. Leger’s family and friends will be from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., with a Christian Vigil at 7:00 p.m., followed by a Rosary, Tuesday, December 25, 2012, at Ardoin Funeral Home of Kinder, 438 North 8th Street, Kinder, Louisiana.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 26, 2012, at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, 607 4th Avenue, Kinder, Louisiana, with Reverend Carlos Garcia officiating. Interment will follow at Liberty Cemetery, Elton, Louisiana, with Stuart Sepaugh, Bob Fruge, John Odom, Karl Rougeau, Roger Fontenot, Scott Lawrence, Sam Moure, and Fred Faulkner serving as pallbearers.

A Memorial Mass for Mr. Leger will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 28, 2012, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 6825 Gladys, Beaumont, with a reception immediately following in the Family Life Center at St. Jude until 1:00 p.m., under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bill Leger Children’s Educational Fund, c/o DuPont Goodrich Federal Credit Union, 7505 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont, Texas 77708.

Complete and updated information may be found at www.broussards1889.com