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CONCORDIA PARISH, La. — Both a former Alderman of the Town of Ferriday and a former police juror for Concordia Parish died within a few days of each other last week.

Elijah Banks, affectionately known as “Stepper,” died on Wednesday, Jan. 15 at age 82 in Baton Rouge. He was a member of the Ferriday town council for 17 years and was also a United States Navy veteran, businessman and a deacon at St. Stephens Baptist Church.

Long-time police juror Carey H. Cook, 79, died on Friday, Jan. 17, at his residence in Ferriday.

Cook was also a business owner and a deacon of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Ferriday. There, he also served as the church’s Chief Financial Officer.

He served the parish on the police jury from 1984 to 2020 and was one of the founding members of the Ferriday High School Athletic Association.

At his final board meeting in 2019, it was recorded in meeting minutes, “Mr. Cook’s words were agreed by all Jurors – ‘We didn’t always agree, but we all got along to get things done.’”

Ferriday Alderwoman Gloria Lloyd, who began her first term in office at the same time as Banks did in 2005, said they “didn’t always see eye to eye, but never were mad” at each other. She added Banks loved Ferriday and always wanted what was best for the town.

In addition to running a janitorial services business and serving 20 years in the Navy, Banks also served as Justice of the Peace.

As Alderman, he worked to address issues with Cocodrie Bayou and to bring a farmer’s market to Ferriday, according to Concordia Sentinel reports.