Leroy Burgess was born in 1944 and grew up in
Verdunville, Louisiana. He served in the Army in Vietnam and began work with
McDermott when he returned to Louisiana in 1966. He began with no experience
but worked his way up to the position of welder. He was laid off in 1984 and
again in 1986. On both occasions he worked odd jobs to make ends meet. He
returned to McDermott when things picked up again and retired in 1998.