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'''Alan Ray Ater''' (December 15, 1953 &ndash; May 21, 2017), known as '''Al Ater''', was a [[farmer]] and [[business]]man from Ferriday in Concordia Parish,  [[Louisiana]], who served from 1984 to 1992 as a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for istrict 21 in the eastern portion of his state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembers1812_2008.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2008|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> He served as interim secretary of state from 2005 through November 2006. He received praise for his handling of the New Orleans mayoral primary in early 2006, when the city was still disrupted from the effects of [[Hurricane Katrina]].​

'''Alan Ray Ater''' (December 15, 1953 &ndash; May 21, 2017), known as '''Al Ater''', was a [[farmer]] and [[business]]man from Ferriday in Concordia Parish,  [[Louisiana]], who served from 1984 to 1992 as a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for istrict 21 in the eastern portion of his state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembers1812_2008.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2008|publisher=house.louisiana.gov|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> He served as interim secretary of state from 2005 through November 2006. He received praise for his handling of the New Orleans mayoral primary in early 2006, when the city was still disrupted from the effects of [[Hurricane Katrina]].

 

==Early life and family==​

==Early life and family==​

A native of  Decatur in Macon County in central [[Illinois]], Ater was the youngest of five children of Donald Edward Ater (1923–1974)<ref name=tmsociety>{{cite web|url=http://tmsociety.org/thomas/clement/aqwg506.htm|title=Donald Edward Ater|publisher=tmsociety.org|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> and the former Ruth LaVonne Chapman (December 16, 1920 &ndash; October 28, 2004), both Illinois natives. His four older siblings are Marcia Kay, Donald Willard, Lynette, and Edward William Ater.​

 

A native of  Decatur in Macon County in central [[Illinois]], Ater was the youngest of five children of Donald Edward Ater (1923–1974)<ref name=tmsociety>{{cite web|url=http://tmsociety.org/thomas/clement/aqwg506.htm|title=Donald Edward Ater|publisher=tmsociety.org|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> and the former Ruth LaVonne Chapman (December 16, 1920 &ndash; October 28, 2004), both Illinois natives. His four older siblings are Marcia Kay, Donald Willard, Lynette, and Edward William Ater.​

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Their mother Ruth Chapman attended Lindenwood College for Women in St. Charles, [[Missouri]]. The Aters married, farmed in the area about Cisco, Illinois, and owned International Harvester dealerships in Kankakee and Oreana, Illinois.​

Their mother Ruth Chapman attended Lindenwood College for Women in St. Charles, [[Missouri]]. The Aters married, farmed in the area about Cisco, Illinois, and owned International Harvester dealerships in Kankakee and Oreana, Illinois.​

Al Ater graduated in 1971 from the  private Huntington High School in Ferriday, founded the previous year after the public schools were desegregated. Ferriday High School became nearly all-black in pupil registration. He attended [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]].​

Al Ater graduated in 1971 from the  private Huntington High School in Ferriday, founded the previous year after the public schools were desegregated. Ferriday High School became nearly all-black in pupil registration. He attended [[Northwestern State University]] in [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]].​

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==Public office==​

==Public office==

First elected at the age of twenty-nine in the 1983 nonpartisan blanket primary, Ater filled the House seat vacated by William B. Atkins, a freshman Democrat from Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. Atkins had defeated Democratic state Senator [[Dan Richey]] of Ferriday. Ater was unopposed for a second term in 1987 but did not run in the primary held in October 1991. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Bryant Hammett, an [[engineer]], also from Ferriday.​

First elected at the age of twenty-nine in the 1983 nonpartisan blanket primary, Ater filled the House seat vacated by William B. Atkins, a freshman Democrat from Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. Atkins had defeated Democratic state Senator [[Dan Richey]] of Ferriday. Ater was unopposed for a second term in 1987 but did not run in the primary held in October 1991. He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Bryant Hammett, an [[engineer]], also from Ferriday.​

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Ater remains an active Democratic Party member, contributing in 2008 for several campaigns: to [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]], the congressional campaign of Paul Carmouche]of [[Shreveport]], senatorial candidate [[Ronnie Musgrove]] of [[Mississippi]], and for the defeated Democrat [[Don Cazayoux]] in the [[Baton Rouge]]-based U.S. House district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/al-ater.asp?cycle=08|title=Al Ater: Political Campaign Contributions, 2008|publisher=campaignmoney.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>​

Ater remains an active Democratic Party member, contributing in 2008 for several campaigns: to [[U.S. Senator]] [[Mary Landrieu]], the congressional campaign of Paul Carmouche]of [[Shreveport]], senatorial candidate [[Ronnie Musgrove]] of [[Mississippi]], and for the defeated Democrat [[Don Cazayoux]] in the [[Baton Rouge]]-based U.S. House district.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/al-ater.asp?cycle=08|title=Al Ater: Political Campaign Contributions, 2008|publisher=campaignmoney.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>​

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==Marriage and family==​

==Legacy==​

Ater and his second wife, the former Susie Beard (born 1958), a pharmacist originally from Vidalia, live on Lake St. John near Ferriday. He has three children, one, Whitney Lauren Ater (born 1978) in [[California]] from his first marriage; and, with Susie, Thomas Alan (born 1987), and Elliott Andrew Ater (born 1989). Thomas manages the family farming operation while Elliott attended college.​

Ater and his second wife, the former Susie Beard (born 1958), a pharmacist originally from Vidalia, live on Lake St. John near Ferriday. He has three children, one, Whitney Lauren Ater (born 1978) in [[California]] from his first marriage; and, with Susie, Thomas Alan (born 1987), and Elliott Andrew Ater (born 1989). Thomas manages the family farming operation while Elliott attended college.​

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Sam Hanna, Jr. (born 1969), son of the late publisher Samuel Andrew "Sam" Hanna, Sr. (1933-2006), commented on why Ater walked away from ​

Sam Hanna, Jr. (born 1969), son of the late publisher Samuel Andrew "Sam" Hanna, Sr. (1933-2006), commented on why Ater walked away from ​

<blockquote>a promising political career more than 20 years in the making [to] head home to Concordia Parish -- to Ferriday -- to farm some six thousand acres of land and tend to his other business interests? Well, Ater's no fool, and he recognized a dead-end job when he saw it in serving as secretary of state, especially on the heels of his performance during one of Louisiana's darkest moments. It's always best to leave while you're on top.<ref name=hanna/></blockquote>​

<blockquote>a promising political career more than 20 years in the making [to] head home to Concordia Parish -- to Ferriday -- to farm some six thousand acres of land and tend to his other business interests? Well, Ater's no fool, and he recognized a dead-end job when he saw it in serving as secretary of state, especially on the heels of his performance during one of Louisiana's darkest moments. It's always best to leave while you're on top.<ref name=hanna/></blockquote>​

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[[Category:Louisiana People

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Illinois]]​

[[Category:Illinois]]​

[[Category:Farmers]]​

[[Category:Farmers]]​