Simmesport park renamed to honor Ehrhardt

Leo Ehrhardt served as mayor of Simmesport for most of five decades. For generations of Simmesport citizens -- and those who had reason to visit or think about Simmesport -- Ehrhardt was the face, voice and character of the river town.

After he retired in 1992 at the age of 84, Town Hall didn’t seem the same without the silver-haired man with the trademark moustache and red suspenders.

Mayor Leo passed away in 1997 at the age of 89. While the man who spent so much time in Town Hall is no longer there, his name will still be nearby.

The Town Council recently approved renaming the park near Town Hall the Leo Ehrhardt Sr. Central Town Park. At this time, no formal renaming ceremony has been scheduled.

“I am excited about this,” Mayor Leslie Draper III said. “It is a good choice. Mayor Ehrhardt made a lot of contributions to this town.”

Ehrhardt was first elected mayor in 1940 and served all but three four-year terms from 1940 to 1992.

In 1990, Ehrhardt announced he would not seek re-election in 1992 because of a “death threat” -- from his wife, Eleanor.

“I actually believe my wife would shoot me if I would tell her I was going to run again,” he said. “I never did think (she) voted for me until the last time I ran.”

Ehrhardt won his last re-election campaign in 1988 by 30 votes.

After that win, the 80-year-old Ehrhardt said he was looking forward to another four years as mayor.

“I’ve got more energy than some teenagers,” he noted.

Ehrhardt’s children were honored and pleased with the town’s recognition of their father.

“It is very nice,” Leo Ehrhardt Jr. said. “My father devoted a lot of his life to that town.”

Leo Jr., now in his 80s, said he moved from Simmesport when he went to college. He has been living in Slidell since 1962.

“I remember that whenever there was an issue in the town, he would get the calls,” he recalled. “Almost every problem ended up in his lap.”

Leo Jr. said his father came to Simmesport to build what is now called the “railroad bridge” over the Atchafalaya. He met, fell in love and married Eleanor Roberts.

The Ehrhardts moved back to Simmesport in 1936. Leo Sr. bought a service station and sold NAPA auto parts.

Mary Ehrhardt now lives in Gulf Breeze, Fla. She is 20 years younger than her brother.

“I was born in the old Marksville Hospital and I graduated from Simmesport High in 1972,” she said.

“Daddy was selfless when it came to the town of Simmesport,” she continued. “In fact, when I was young I was jealous of the town because it seemed that if it was a choice of going to one of my school functions or taking care of a town emergency like buying a sewer pump, he would choose the sewer pump.”

Ehrhardt was known for his love of storytelling and his sense of humor. Those who knew him said he loved to laugh and enjoy life.

It is fitting, then, that a town park -- intended to help children and grown-ups alike relax and enjoy themselves -- will now be known as Ehrhardt Park.