Chamber: Two businesses, retiring doctor honored

Two businesses, who have been in the parish for 80 years and 50 years each, and a doctor, who is retiring after 53 years, were honored Wednesday at the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce’s Business Luncheon at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City.
E.J. Fields Machine Works has been in the Morgan City for 80 years while Conner’s Repair Service in Morgan City is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Dr. Walter Daniels, 81, a family doctor in Morgan City, was also honored after he recently announced he is retiring with 53 years of service.
Richard Romaire, 89, whose son Ricky Romaire is now president of E.J. Fields Machine Works, originally went to work for the business upon returning from World War II for 75 cents an hour, he said. “I had take-home pay of $28 a week,” Richard Romaire said. “It got better.” Richard Romaire had previously worked in a machine shop while he was in college.
Ricky Romaire said his father, Richard Romaire, and his uncle, Ferris Romaire, did a great job building the business off what his grandfather built. Three of Ricky Romaire’s children currently work in the business, he said. “We look to keep this going for a while,” Ricky Romaire said.
Dean Conner, owner of Conner’s Repair Service in Morgan City, said his father started the business in his backyard in a 20-foot by 14-foot shed. “I guess he didn’t have this in mind that he left a legacy that would last 50 years,” Conner said.
Daniels, who is retiring as a family doctor next week, joined Dr. C.R. “Doc” Brownell’s medical practice in 1961. During his time as a doctor, Daniels delivered about 2,000 babies and took helicopter rides into the middle of the Gulf of Mexico to help stranded divers, he said.