Larry Defratis

I attended a memorial service for Larry Defratis on Saturday in Shreveport.

Larry was a Democratic activist who worked tirelessly to invigorate the party in northwest Louisiana. He had helped Craig Kraemer and I in 2004 bring a delegation from the organization Diplomats and Military Commanders for Change to Louisiana to speak against the war in Iraq and the re-election of Bush/Cheney.

We also corresponded and talked from time to time about things happening (or not happening) in the Louisiana Democratic Party.

Larry was one of those great Democrats whose first question was always "how can I help."

It came as a shock early this summer to learn that he'd died.

There was a nice turnout of regular and insurgent Democrats at the event. A flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol in his honor was presented to his family by the event's host, Ted Brown.

Larry is sorely missed by friends across the state.