Julius Patrick
Encyclopedia
Julius Patrick, Jr. was the African American
Democratic
mayor
of Boyce
, in northern Rapides Parish, who died in a head-on collision in a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 10
in Ascension Parish near Gramercy
in south Louisiana
. Patrick was first elected mayor of Boyce, a community of 1,200, in 1978. He served for twenty-eight consecutive years, while he was simultaneously a full-time educator until his retirement from the Rapides Parish public school system in 2005.
Motorist Mercuria J.S. Colomb (born 1978) of St. Rose
in St. Charles Parish
allegedly started the chain-reaction accident. She first eluded state police but later turned herself in to authorities. Colomb was driving a car that turned into an eastbound Sports Utility Vehicle. The impact cause her vehicle to cross the interstate median, to sideswipe a westbound oncoming car, and then to crash head-on into the car driven by Patrick. The mayor was killed instantly, according to police. Colomb stands accused of negligent homicide
, negligent injury, and improper lane usage. She left the crash scene headed east on I-10.
, said that Patrick "reminded me of Dr. [Martin Luther] King
-- and our dream for the town of Boyce."
In the primary, Patrick led with 200 ballots (45 percent), to Johnson's 162 votes (36 percent), and McCoy's 83 votes (19 percent). In the November 7 general election
, Patrick prevailed over Johnson, 278 votes (58 percent) to 203 ballots (42 percent).
McCoy, who served four four-year terms with Mayor Patrick on the town council, cited Patrick's accomplishments:
(1) a new town hall
(2) two new fire stations and firetrucks
(3) rural development grants for sewage and drainage
(4) economic development including Boise Cascade
and a new Central Louisiana Electric Company plant under construction.
McCoy also said that Patrick "made sure everybody was treated equally. He never looked down on anyone. And he cherished his wife and children just as much as he cherished his community."
Carolyn Aaron, who has worked for the town for some two decades, the past seventeen as the town clerk, said Patrick "can't be replaced. This is a new beginning for the town of Boyce. He taught me just about everything I know about government. Now we have to go on about the business of the town."
Don Wilmore, who has served on the Rapides Parish Police Jury, the parish's governing board [called county commission in most states] for fifteen years in a district that includes Boyce, praised Patrick's accomplishments: "He was especially effective in getting grants. He was a good friend and a good mayor."
Resident Kim Cudd, who has lived in Boyce for about two years, said that Boyce "needs to be cleaned up. It needs a face-lift. . . . We'd like to see our property values go up."
Patrick was an educator for forty-one years, the last thirty-eight in Rapides Parish. He was a science
teacher
and then a principal, first at Reed Avenue Elementary School in Alexandria
, the seat of Rapides Parish, and then at North Bayou Rapides Elementary School.
Ruby Smith, supervisor for the Rapides Parish Child Welfare and Attendance Office, said that Patrick "touched the lives of many, many students, not only in Boyce but across the state. . . . He was an educated politician with Christian
values."
in the community of Lena, north of Boyce. Northwood replaced the former A. Wettermark High School in 1996. More than a thousand mourners attended, including Rapides Parish District Attorney
James "Jam" Downs, himself a former town attorney for Boyce. Six ministers, led by the Reverend Joe S. Green, participated, and expressions of condolence were delivered by representatives of Governor
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's office, the National Conference of Black Mayors and its Louisiana chapter, and the Louisiana Municipal Association.
Patrick was preceded in death by his father, Julius Patrick, Sr., and his mother, the former Ella Belle Wardsworth, and two sisters.
Survivors included his wife, the former Beatrice Jackson (born 1941); one son, Ronald Kevin Patrick (born 1961) and wife Ann Patrick of Garland, Texas
; three daughters, Karen Patrick Jones and husband Ed Jones of Shreveport
, DiAnthia L. Patrick of Fairfax, Virginia
; and Riqui J. Patrick of Silver Spring, Maryland
; one brother, Major Williams of Natchitoches
, the seat of Natchitoches Parish, and two grandchildren.
Pallbearers included members of Patrick's fraternity, Omega Psi Phi
.
Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Pineville
across the Red River from Alexandria. Arrangements were handled by Winnfield Funeral Home of Alexandria.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Boyce
Boyce, Louisiana
Boyce is a town in northern Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is part of the Alexandria, Louisiana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,190 at the 2000 census. The community is nearly 75 percent African American.-History:...
, in northern Rapides Parish, who died in a head-on collision in a chain-reaction accident on Interstate 10
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 is the fourth-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90, I-80, and I-40. It is the southernmost east–west, coast-to-coast Interstate Highway, although I-4 and I-8 are further south. It stretches from the Pacific Ocean at State Route 1 in Santa Monica,...
in Ascension Parish near Gramercy
Gramercy, Louisiana
Gramercy is a town in St. James Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,066 at the 2000 census.-History:Gramercy was originally an Indian and French settlement and trading post. In 1739, much of the area which is now known as Gramercy was sold to Joseph Delille Dupart, Commissioner...
in south Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Patrick was first elected mayor of Boyce, a community of 1,200, in 1978. He served for twenty-eight consecutive years, while he was simultaneously a full-time educator until his retirement from the Rapides Parish public school system in 2005.
Motorist Mercuria J.S. Colomb (born 1978) of St. Rose
St. Rose, Louisiana
Saint Rose is a census-designated place in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. St. Rose is on the East Bank of the Mississippi River two miles north of the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana border, and is part of the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. The population was 6,540 at the...
in St. Charles Parish
St. Charles Parish, Louisiana
St. Charles Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Hahnville. In 2010, its population was 52,780. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, this was part of the German Coast, an area along the Mississippi River settled by numerous German pioneers in the...
allegedly started the chain-reaction accident. She first eluded state police but later turned herself in to authorities. Colomb was driving a car that turned into an eastbound Sports Utility Vehicle. The impact cause her vehicle to cross the interstate median, to sideswipe a westbound oncoming car, and then to crash head-on into the car driven by Patrick. The mayor was killed instantly, according to police. Colomb stands accused of negligent homicide
Negligent homicide
Negligent homicide is a criminal charge brought against people who, through criminal negligence, allow others to die.Negligent Homicide is a lesser included offense to first and second degree murder, in the sense that someone guilty of this offense can expect a more lenient sentence, often with...
, negligent injury, and improper lane usage. She left the crash scene headed east on I-10.
Patrick's accomplishments as mayor
Boyce Democratic Councilman Kelvin V. McCoy (born 1963), who ran against Patrick and another candidate, the officially nonpartisan Ernest "Ernie" Johnson, in the September 30, 2006, jungle primaryJungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
, said that Patrick "reminded me of Dr. [Martin Luther] King
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
-- and our dream for the town of Boyce."
In the primary, Patrick led with 200 ballots (45 percent), to Johnson's 162 votes (36 percent), and McCoy's 83 votes (19 percent). In the November 7 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, Patrick prevailed over Johnson, 278 votes (58 percent) to 203 ballots (42 percent).
McCoy, who served four four-year terms with Mayor Patrick on the town council, cited Patrick's accomplishments:
(1) a new town hall
(2) two new fire stations and firetrucks
(3) rural development grants for sewage and drainage
(4) economic development including Boise Cascade
Boise Cascade
Boise Cascade Holdings, LLC, which uses the trade name Boise, is an American pulp and paper company, ranked as the thirteenth largest forest products company in the world....
and a new Central Louisiana Electric Company plant under construction.
McCoy also said that Patrick "made sure everybody was treated equally. He never looked down on anyone. And he cherished his wife and children just as much as he cherished his community."
Boyce mourns death of Patrick
Ernie Johnson referred to his former opponent's passing as "a sad and tragic thing for the town of Boyce, for the family and for the people who loved him so much. Our hearts go out to the family."Carolyn Aaron, who has worked for the town for some two decades, the past seventeen as the town clerk, said Patrick "can't be replaced. This is a new beginning for the town of Boyce. He taught me just about everything I know about government. Now we have to go on about the business of the town."
Don Wilmore, who has served on the Rapides Parish Police Jury, the parish's governing board [called county commission in most states] for fifteen years in a district that includes Boyce, praised Patrick's accomplishments: "He was especially effective in getting grants. He was a good friend and a good mayor."
Resident Kim Cudd, who has lived in Boyce for about two years, said that Boyce "needs to be cleaned up. It needs a face-lift. . . . We'd like to see our property values go up."
Patrick was an educator for forty-one years, the last thirty-eight in Rapides Parish. He was a science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and then a principal, first at Reed Avenue Elementary School in Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, the seat of Rapides Parish, and then at North Bayou Rapides Elementary School.
Ruby Smith, supervisor for the Rapides Parish Child Welfare and Attendance Office, said that Patrick "touched the lives of many, many students, not only in Boyce but across the state. . . . He was an educated politician with Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
values."
Last rites
Services for Patrick were held on November 30 in the gymnasium of Northwood High SchoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in the community of Lena, north of Boyce. Northwood replaced the former A. Wettermark High School in 1996. More than a thousand mourners attended, including Rapides Parish District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
James "Jam" Downs, himself a former town attorney for Boyce. Six ministers, led by the Reverend Joe S. Green, participated, and expressions of condolence were delivered by representatives of Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's office, the National Conference of Black Mayors and its Louisiana chapter, and the Louisiana Municipal Association.
Patrick was preceded in death by his father, Julius Patrick, Sr., and his mother, the former Ella Belle Wardsworth, and two sisters.
Survivors included his wife, the former Beatrice Jackson (born 1941); one son, Ronald Kevin Patrick (born 1961) and wife Ann Patrick of Garland, Texas
Garland, Texas
-Climate:* The average warmest month is July.* The highest recorded temperature was in 2000.* On average, the coolest month is January.* The lowest recorded temperature was in 1989.* The maximum average precipitation occurs in May....
; three daughters, Karen Patrick Jones and husband Ed Jones of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, DiAnthia L. Patrick of Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
; and Riqui J. Patrick of Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
; one brother, Major Williams of Natchitoches
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, the seat of Natchitoches Parish, and two grandchildren.
Pallbearers included members of Patrick's fraternity, Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi
Omega Psi Phi is a fraternity and is the first African-American national fraternal organization to be founded at a historically black college. Omega Psi Phi was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. The founders were three Howard University juniors, Edgar Amos...
.
Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Pineville
Pineville, Louisiana
Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
across the Red River from Alexandria. Arrangements were handled by Winnfield Funeral Home of Alexandria.