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In 1957, the Aters purchased the Coola Coosa Plantation near Tallulah, Louisiana, on Lake St. John, an oxbow lake on the [[Mississippi River]]. They founded and operated Ater Warehouse, Inc., and the Don Ater [[Chevrolet]] dealership in Ferriday. While the Aters resided in Tallulah in Madison Parish, Mrs. Ater became involved in the American National Cattlewomen's Organization, formerly the CowBelles. She was both Madison Parish and the statewide president of the organization. In 1975, as the national CowBelles president, she organized and chartered groups in thirteen states and spoke at state conventions in thirty-nine states. She headed the committee that wrote the history of the organization. Mrs. Ater was one of three women inducted into the Louisiana Spur Club for contributions to the [[cattle]] industry. After the death of her first husband, Donald Ater, Ruth married Fred Joseph Wedam (1916–1991) of Klamath Falls, [[Oregon]]. She lived with Fred in Oregon until after his death and then returned to Ferriday for her final years.<ref name=ruthobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lamadiso/obits/aterrlc.txt|title=Obituary of Ruth LaVonne Chapman Ater Wedam|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>
In 1957, the Aters purchased the Coola Coosa Plantation near Tallulah, Louisiana, on Lake St. John, an oxbow lake on the [[Mississippi River]]. They founded and operated Ater Warehouse, Inc., and the Don Ater [[Chevrolet]] dealership in Ferriday. While the Aters resided in Tallulah in Madison Parish, Mrs. Ater became involved in the American National Cattlewomen's Organization, formerly the CowBelles. She was both Madison Parish and the statewide president of the organization. In 1975, as the national CowBelles president, she organized and chartered groups in thirteen states and spoke at state conventions in thirty-nine states. She headed the committee that wrote the history of the organization. Mrs. Ater was one of three women inducted into the Louisiana Spur Club for contributions to the [[cattle]] industry. After the death of her first husband, Donald Ater, Ruth married Fred Joseph Wedam (1916–1991) of Klamath Falls, [[Oregon]]. She lived with Fred in Oregon until after his death and then returned to Ferriday for her final years.<ref name=ruthobit>{{cite web|url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lamadiso/obits/aterrlc.txt|title=Obituary of Ruth LaVonne Chapman Ater Wedam|publisher=rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref>
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]].