Stewart Enterprises Names Ronald H. Patron to Board Of Directors

Patron formerly worked for Stewart Enterprises, Inc., serving aschief financial officer, president of the corporate division and amember of the board from 1987 through 1998 and then as a consultantuntil his retirement in 2001.

"Ron Patron joins the Stewart Enterprises Board of Directors as ahighly qualified financial professional with extensive experience andknowledge of the death care industry," said Chairman John P. Laborde."He has the additional quality of prior association and experiencewith the Company by virtue of his prior tenure as CFO of the Company.He is a valuable addition to the Board and will contribute to theCompany's progress."

Founded in 1910, Stewart Enterprises is the third largest providerof products and services in the death care industry in the UnitedStates, currently owning and operating 230 funeral homes and 144cemeteries. Through its subsidiaries, the Company provides a completerange of funeral merchandise and services, along with cemeteryproperty, merchandise and services, both at the time of need and on apreneed basis.