Elton C. Pody
| Elton Clark Pody | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mayor of Ruston, Louisiana | |
|
In office January 1983 – January 1991 | |
| Preceded by | John W. Perritt |
| Succeeded by | Hilda Taylor Perritt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
December 1, 1938 Place of birth missing |
| Died |
March 27, 2011 (aged 72) Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana |
| Resting place | Mineral Springs Baptist Church Cemetery in Dubach in Lincoln Parish |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Sherry Williamson Pody |
| Children |
Stanton Clark "Stan" Pody |
| Parents | Tom Henry and Fannie Mae Bearden Pody |
| Residence |
Ruston, Louisiana |
| Alma mater | Louisiana Tech University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Elton Clark Pody (December 1, 1938 – March 27, 2011) was from 1982 to 1990 the mayor of Ruston in Lincoln Parish in North Louisiana and thereafter the 20-year president of the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce based in Alexandria, Louisiana.[1]
Pody was the son of Tom Henry Pody (1910-2002) and the former Fannie Mae Bearden (1915-2001) of Farmerville in Union Parish.[2] He spent the majority of his life in the Ruston/Farmerville area. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston.[1] A Republican, he was defeated on October 6, 1990 for a third term as mayor of Ruston by the Democrat Hilda Taylor Perritt, a former high school teacher. Pody polled 2,633 votes (42.2 percent) to Perritt's 3,612 (57.8 percent).[3]
In a civic club address in 1989 in Minden in Webster Parish, Pody called for municipalities to work together and declared local government the most cost-effective: "I believe local government is very important because it provides so much service on a daily basis."[4] Pody said that the average family then paid $250 annually to local government but $1,700 to the state, and $4,200 to the U.S. government; therefore he considered the local contribution to more effective on a per-capita basis.[4]
After his mayoral tenure ended, Pody moved to Alexandria to take the top position with the Chamber of Commerce. Shortly before his death, Pody had announced that he would retire from the chamber at the end of 2011.[5]
Pody often said, "Every man needs two things, God and a job", as he devoted much of his pursuits in recent decades to job creation. He attended Grace Presbyterian Church in Alexandria. To everyone he used the parting comment "Be Blessed".[1]
Pody died at his home in Alexandria at the age of seventy-two. Services were held at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria. He is interred at the Mineral Springs Baptist Church Cemetery in Dubach in Lincoln Parish.[1] From his marriage of nearly fifty years to the former Sherry Williamson (born 1943) of Alexandria, came three sons, Stanton Clark "Stan" Pody (born 1964) and wife Mary of Ruston, Shawn A. Pody (born 1966) and wife Kelly of Lebanon, Tennessee, Chad Patrick Pody (born 1969) and wife Angie of Ruston, and one daughter, Sondra Pody Haygood (born 1970) and husband James Gregory Haygood (born 1966) of Wichita, Kansas. He had a surviving sister, Lola Faye Pody Silmon (born 1932) of Downsville, Louisiana, and eleven grandchildren.[1]
Pody's memory is honored by the Louisiana State University at Alexandria Foundation through the "Elton C. Pody Scholarship Fund".[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Elton C. Pody". Alexandria Daily Town Talk, March 29, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
- ↑ "Tom Henry Pody". findagrave.com. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
- ↑ "Results for Election Date: 10/6/1990 (Lincoln Parish)". staticresults.sos.la.gov. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
- 1 2 Joey White, "Pody touts local government importance", Minden Press-Herald, December 15, 1989, p. 1
- ↑ "A Concurrent Resolution: Elton C. Pody". legiscan.com. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
| Preceded by John W. Perritt |
Mayor of Ruston, Louisiana
Elton Clark Pody |
Succeeded by Hilda Taylor Perritt |