MARGO RACCA   -     LOUSIANA

     Margo was elected Mayor in April, 2002, to fill the remainder of Mayor Toups term until December 31, of the same year. She was re-elected in October, and began serving her current term in January, 2003.  She served on the City Council for 5 years prior to becoming Mayor.

    She is a member of the Iowa First United Methodist Church and is the Administrative Coordinator there.  She is a member of the United Methodist Women, Iowa Merchants Association, AARP, Iowa Garden Club, serves on the Steering Committee of the Southwest Louisiana Garden Festival, Treasurer of the Calcasieu Orchid Society, a member of the Southwest Louisiana Rose Society.  
    
    She is a Master International Bromeliad Judge, a Master Flower Show Judge, Master Landscape Consultant, and Master Gardening Consultant.  She belongs to many National Plant Societies too numerous to mention.

    She is married to Dr. Jim Racca, a Chiropractor in Iowa.  They are the parents 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.

    While raising her 4 children, she worked as a typist for Jim’s fraternity at Palmer College in Davenport, Iowa.  She earned the honorary degree of “PHT” (putting hubby through).  After his graduation they moved to Jacksonville, Arkansas where she worked in his Chiropractic office as “Girl Friday” scheduling patients, taking x-rays, serving as bookkeeper and counseling distraught patients.

    From there, they moved to Sulphur, LA where she went to work for her father at Carr Truck Service, Inc., an oilfield trucking company.  She was his Private Secretary and the only female in an all male office; working with truck drivers and their swampers.  In order to not become one of the boys, she dressed in dresses with hose and high heels everyday.  By dressing like a lady she was treated as a lady.

    Soon, the company business was larger in the Lafayette area so she and Jim and their 4 children moved to Lafayette to manage the truck terminal there.  This office was shortly to become the main terminal with Jim as General Manager and Margo as Administrative Assistant.  Again, she counseled the truck drivers with their problems which ranged from hemorrhoids to marital woes.

While living in Lafayette, she joined the Lafayette Garden Club because she wanted to learn how to arrange flowers.  She attended the Flower Show School, Landscaped Design Study Course and Gardening Study Courses.  She attended classes at the University in Horticulture.  Her knowledge and love of plants increased dramatically with her garden club experience.

    In the early 90’s the oilfield bottomed out so a decision was made to sell the company and for Jim to go back into Chiropractic.  This they did and then moved back closer to their parents and bought a home in Iowa, LA.  Their children were now all grown, married and most of them lived in the New Orleans area.

    At last, Margo was able to stay at home and play with her plants.  She had moved her plant collections of LA Iris, Daylilies, Cycads, Bromeliads and Orchids, etc. with her to Iowa.  She spent 12 hours a day landscaping and working in her backyard garden. 

    This was not to last long.  After the yard was landscaped their was still energy and time to work on something else more challenging.  She decided to run for City Council at the request of a friend.  His wife had served on the Council and he said that a woman was needed in this position.

    The Mayor soon was grooming her to take his place.  She asked that he serve one more term until she could complete her term as the Louisiana Garden Club Federation President.  He reluctantly agreed but died before he could fulfill his complete term.  She became President of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation in April 2003.  The term expired in April, 2005.  All the while she was serving as Mayor of the Town of Iowa. 

    The plants in the greenhouse and garden are being somewhat neglected but she still enjoys working with them on weekends and holidays.  She doesn’t get to see her children and grandchildren as much as she would like but they stay in touch and visit as often as possible.

    This busy lady is starting to slow down but still enjoys dressing up everyday in her pretty dresses and high heels to go to work and serve the public.  She loves being Mayor and will run again in the fall for another term.  She is currently serving as the President of the Iowa Garden Club since they asked her to because she was no longer State President and had the time to do it.  Right? ....Right.