Former mayor Hollingsworth remembered for ‘moral compass’
Leader photo by Nancy Bergeron
Former mayor Dan Hollingsworth was remembered for changes he made to Ruston, as well as his ‘moral compass,' at a memorial service Tuesday.
Former Ruston Mayor Dan Hollingsworth was remembered Tuesday for his commitment to excellence, love for others, and his desire to make the world a better place.
“He lived a good, honorable Christian life,” the Rev. Doug de Graffenried, senior pastor of Trinity Methodist Church, told about 200 people gathered at the church for Hollingsworth’s memorial service.
Hollingsworth died March 18. He was 89. He four terms as mayor, from 1999 to 2015.
“He lived not first for himself, but for others,” de Graffenried said, citing the New Testament scripture in which Jesus tell his disciples, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
A native of Meridian, Mississippi, Hollingsworth moved to Ruston in 1968 to continue a career in radio. In 1969, he bought KRUS AM/FM from the late Clarence Faulk. Hollingsworth was the former owner of Ruston’s Red Peach Media.
Hollingsworth first ran for mayor in 1994 but lost to then- incumbent Mayor Hilda Taylor Perritt. Four years later, in 1998, he handily beat Perritt and one other opponent, winning 60% of the vote.
He was reelected in 2002 following a rematch with Perritt. Hollingsworth was unopposed in 2006 and beat two opponents in 2010 to win his last term.
Friends said Hollingsworth decided to run for mayor because he wanted to give back to the community.
“He meant that. It wasn’t just a line,” said Gary McKenney, who spent 30 years working alongside Hollingsworth at the radio station.
Under Hollingsworth’s tenure, Ruston spent millions of dollars upgrading its electrical and sewer systems, completed a $22 million I-20 service road and overpass project, and launched the multi-phase downtown revitalization project that’s still underway.
His administration’s longterm plan called Ruston 21 included the three-laning of East Kentucky Avenue, a project that’s now on the drawing board.
“The only yardstick he used was ‘is this going to be good for Ruston,’” said Jere Nash, the Mississippi political consultant who helped Hollingsworth with his mayoral campaigns. “With Dan it was never about ideology or partisanship. He wanted to know the evidence, the facts. He wanted to know the long-term benefits, was it going to be good for Ruston.”
Ruston CPA and longtime Hollingsworth friend Don McGehee said Hollingsworth wanted to expose injustice, “to show the world how we could be better.”
“Dan did seek to do the right thing. He did seek excellence,” McGehee said.
Nash said Hollingsworth never the let the power he had as mayor influence his character.
“We know that power never got the better of Dan Hollingsworth because in 2014 he did something few elected officials do: He let go,” Nash said.
Nash said Hollingsworth told him Ruston would benefit with new leadership.
“Dan Hollingsworth had character,” Nash said. “He had character because he had a moral compass.”
Hollingsworth is survived by his widow Faye, five children, four grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a brother.
