NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Heartfelt stories of a man’s courage, generosity, faith and love for his family were heard Saturday as family and friends bid farewell to former New Orleans Mayor Moon Landrieu . status quo.
Landrieu died Monday at the age of 92.
His son, former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu, spoke of his father without a note, saying that if he had anything, his father would “jump out of that coffin and strangle me.” . The remark elicited laughter from hundreds of people gathered at the Holy Name of Jesus His Catholic Church on the Loyola University New Orleans campus. Attendees included Governor John Bell Edwards, Lieutenant Billy Nungesser, Congressman Troy Carter, and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
Landrieu said his father gave him his first political lesson as a child after jumping out of a storeroom and getting stuck.
“I yelled ‘Someone help me, somebody help me’ and my father ran out and said ‘let go, I’ll catch you'” So when I took my hand off my father backed away. My father said, “Son, the moment you came out of Mama, I knew you were going to be a politician, and I had to teach you a lesson.” “What is it?” I said. And he said, “Don’t trust anyone, not even your dad!”
The crowd laughed. Landrieu later admitted that this story was only half true, but pointed out that the only truth was that his father was always there for his family.
“My father’s life was very simple, but it was very difficult to do what he did,” Landrieu said. “My father’s life was a life of service. He was born I just wanted to do it from the beginning.”
Born Maurice E. Landrieu on July 23, 1930, he went by the family nickname Moon throughout his life, eventually making it his legal name. After serving his three years in the Army, he opened a small walk-up law firm with law school classmate Pascal Calogero. Pascal Calogero later became Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Landrieu won a seat in the State Capitol in 1960 and retained it in 1963 after Gov. Jimmy Davis opposed moves to segregate New Orleans students. She then won a seat on the city council in 1965 with strong support from black voters. After becoming mayor, he pushed to racially diversify the city government and in 1975 opened Louisiana where he helped build the state’s Superdome.
After completing two terms as mayor in 1978, Landrieu became Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for President Jimmy Carter. He later became a judge, and from 1992 until 2000 he served on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana.
“He was a trailblazer and had the courage of his convictions,” Edwards said of Moon Landrieu. “He made it easy for us to do the right thing. What he did was revolutionary at the time.”
“Moon Landrieu was a legend and a history-maker.” He set the framework for every mayor since him.Not only was he a mayor of accomplishment and ability, he was He spoke what he believed and had a deep conviction of fairness that never wavered.”
Landrieu called his father a great statesman who served his country.
“But no matter how good a civil servant he was, he was a much better father.”What many people don’t know is that Moon Landrieu has a family he has loved all his life. about it.”
Former state senator John D. Johnson said he considered Landrieu a mentor, but more than that, he was “a good man and a dynamic leader for the city of New Orleans.”
Shortly after being elected to the state legislature, Johnson traveled to Washington, recalling that he immediately decided to visit Landrieu, then director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“I didn’t have an appointment. I just walked in and said I wanted to meet him,” he said with a smile. “He was with me for like 20 minutes, just talking to me. That’s what he was like.”
Sheila Berniard Burns said Landrieu was responsible for guiding her into a career in city government.
“He gave me the opportunity. This little black girl from New Orleans stepped in, got promoted, and ended up running the Department of Transportation, which later turned into the Regional Transit Authority.” said Burns. N. “Dutch” Morial’s administration and as a consultant during his son’s tenure. “Moon’s legacy is that he gave opportunities to African Americans like me.”
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