A grateful crowd gathered on the town square of Ladonia last Saturday evening to honor retiring Mayor Leon Hurse. Dignitaries including Congressman Ralph Hall; Kevin Mercer, president of Upper Trinity  Regional Water District and the district’s manager Tom Taylor; former state representative Pete Patterson;  Fannin County Commissioner Dewayne Strickland; and city and county officials from the surrounding area joined locals in a barbeque, dance band, and speeches to celebrate a historical event. 

Congressman Hall told the crowd that he had known Mayor Hurse for many years and found him to be someone he could rely on. The Congressman told how he became familiar with Ladonia back before World War II when he worked a pipeline with Ladonia residents Mutt Milford, Jud Davis, and Robert Moore. He said they gave him a good impression of the town.  He commended the town for being able to work together to hold such a celebration.  

“In Washington, there are about 530 of us in the House and Senate, and we seem to never be able to agree on anything,” he told the crowd. 

In closing remarks Congressman Hall presented Mayor Hurse a flag that had flown over the US Capitol. 

Former Ladonia Mayor Doug Franklin told the group that the celebration was to honor a man that had been mayor of Ladonia longer than any previous mayor in the town’s history.   

“There have been 27 mayors since Ladonia was incorporated,” he said. “Mayor Hurse, you are no.  26, with Mayor Cooper being our 27th mayor.” 

He read the list of mayors dating back to the time Ladonia was incorporated as a town in 1886. They included:

Will Harkins

I. B. Love

J. H. Cole

T. V. Richards

Theo Fulghum

Tom Bell

Neal T. Scott

C. E. Fuller

W. C. Thompson

C. O. Rubble

J. J. Anglin

J. D. Fraley

Dean Breedlove

Harve Miller

W. M. Thomas

J. C. Ward

Douglas Franklin

Billy Wilson

William Clements

Lester Loftice

C. M. Owens

Elgin Fowler

Roy E. Burnett

Elgin Fowler

Lester Loftice

Leon Hurse

current mayor, Janis Cooper 

Mr. Franklin told Mayor Hurse, “Your 17 years of service will likely stand in history for many years as our longest tenured mayor. The next nearest in years was W. M. Thomas who served 13 years from 1948 to 1961.” 

He went on: “Leon, you were a full time mayor for Ladonia. A regular work week is 40 hours, but I think when you were not sleeping, you were thinking about the town. I doubt that you ever put in only 40 hours. But, I calculated that at 40 hours a week, you have given us more than 34,000 man hours of public service. What a record! What an example for us all to follow.   Mr. Mayor, we congratulate you on achieving this historic milestone.” 

“Our first mayor, Will Harkins, gave a speech to the people of Ladonia as he retired from office in 1894.  115 years ago, he stood on this town square and said: “Ladonia—my earnest desire is that you continue to keep her in the front ranks and push her onward to a glorious future.”

“Leon, I believe that you have done your part in moving Ladonia to that glorious future that Mayor Harkins pointed us towards.”  

Pete Patterson spoke relating several stories of his days serving as Ladonia’s state representative during Mayor Hurse’s terms in office. 

Patterson told the crowd, “Leon is retired but still has lots of information to offer. Listen to him.” 

Kevin Mercer, president of Upper Trinity Regional Water District, presented a proclamation to Mayor Hurse noting that the high water mark of leadership for which Mayor Hurse always be remembered was his decision to build Lake Ralph Hall , a visionary move the proclamation said would forever sustain and transform Ladonia and Fannin County.  Kevin said he had reserved the first permit to be issued for boating and fishing on completed Lake Ralph Hall to Mayor Hurse. 

Upper Trinity Manager Tom Taylor told the crowd that he first knew Leon when they both worked for the City of Dallas. He said it turned into a long term friendship. Mr. Taylor presented sets of engraved water glasses to Mayor Hurse and Congressman Hall in anticipation of having water from the lake someday to fill the glasses. 

Mayor Hurse’s family was present for the celebration, and son Gary Hurse spoke on behalf of his brother and sister thanking the town for supporting his father. Then, Mayor Hurse himself took the podium and thanked everyone for their support during the seventeen years of his being in office.  The crowd gave him a standing ovation. 

Newly elected Mayor Jan Cooper, mistress of ceremonies and the entire City Council seated on the platform thanked all volunteers who made the event possible.  It was a harmonious celebration that saw the torch passed from one period to the next.