In Memoriam: Former Councilman Ralph Washington

    Former City of Central Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem Ralph Washington has died at the age of 60 after a lengthy struggle with diabetes.  Born in New Orleans, Mr. Washington grew up in Darrow, where he experienced first-hand the troubling and frequently fearful effects of desegregation.  Graduating from East Ascension High School, he went on scholarship to get a B.S. from Southern University.  He then was employed by Liquid Carbonic where he rose to Assistant Plant Manager.  After years of employment at Liquid Carbonic, Mr. Washington decided to open his own business, Red Stick Cleaners, which at one time had 3 branches in Baton Rouge and Central.  
    Mr. Washington is best known in Central for his role on the City Council.  When citizens were in the midst of the throes of fighting to become their own city, former City Councilman Louis DeJohn was introduced to Mr. Washington.  “He would come over in the afternoons and we would chat,” shared Mr. Dejohn. “I asked him if he knew what was going on about incorporation, and he said he supported it.  So I asked him, ‘Why not get involved?’” Mr. Dejohn brought Mr. Washington to the meetings that were being held at the Central Fire Station, and he became a part of the team.
    Shortly thereafter, Central became incorporated, and Mr. Washington was appointed by then-Governor Kathleen Blanco in 2005 to Central’s first City Council.  He was then elected by the citizens in 2006 to the Council and made Mayor Pro-Tem, a position he kept throughout his 9 year tenure.  “He and I worked closely together on many things, including the first City Services Contract,” Mr. Dejohn remembered warmly.  Their efforts, along with those of Mayor Mac Watts and Council members Pete Humble, Joan Lansing, Aaron Moak, Carolyn Patterson, and Lucky Ross, laid the foundation for Central’s government.
    Following the incorporation of the city came the fight for Central’s own school system, the reason the city was created.  Then Representative Bodi White crafted the legislature to grant Central this right, but it was being strongly opposed by the Democratic Black Caucus and the NAACP.  Mr. Dejohn remembered, “Ralph stood up to them in the face of accusations of Central being racist and told them he had never seen a racial problem in our city, that we were just wanting better schools for our kids.  Ralph helped us to have our independent school system.”  He went on to share, “We may have had our differences, but I still consider him a friend.  I lost a friend this week.”
    Fellow Council member Aaron Moak stated, “Ralph was a great person who had a heart for Central.  He worked hard with the rest of that first council to put Central on the best path it could have been on. I consider it an honor and a privilege to have been able to work with him on City Council. My thoughts and prayers go out for him and his family.”
    Councilman Wayne Messina expressed, “Ralph and I go back a pretty good ways, he has always been my friend.  He put everything he had into what he thought was the best for Central.  He believed in Central, he really did.  In all the years I worked with Ralph, I learned he was a man of common sense and extremely intelligent.  He didn’t make rash decisions.  We didn’t always agree, but Ralph always reasoned things out. I was always proud of that about him.”  Mr. Messina then shared, “I was going through my treatments for cancer and he was going through his struggle with diabetes during this last campaign.  If I was down in the dump, he would talk me out of it.  If he was down, I would talk him out of it. We were each other’s rock. When I visited him in the hospital he was always upbeat.  Sadly, it was just too much for his body to overcome.  I just hate this.  I’m going to miss my friend.  This is a real loss for Central.”
    Mr. Washington leaves behind his wife, the former Carolyn Franklin, and 2 children, daughter Marquesa and son Ralphael.  Central Speaks’ family sends its prayers and thoughts to Mr. Ralph’s family at this sad time of loss.