FRANKLIN — Louisiana politics is in former Gov. Mike Foster's blood. 

His grandfather, Murphy J. Foster Sr., was the state's 31st governor. More than 100 years after his grandfather left office, Mike Foster served as the state's 53rd governor between 1996 and 2004. 

But Mike Foster, who grew up in St. Mary Parish, was more than a political icon in a long line of Fosters at the levers of the state's power. He was also a collector, particularly of nature-related art by famed naturalist John James Audubon.

His collection reflected his deep roots in Louisiana, telling 2une In's John Pastorek, in the years after he left office, about how his family home had a representation of nearly every type of waterfowl that can be found in Louisiana. 

Foster was a man who never forgot his roots, showing up to his first day as governor wearing attire more fit for a duck hunter than a political leader. 

He passed away in 2020 and leaves behind a legacy of service.