ABC26 News

February 2, 2010
METAIRIE—
Long-time political figure Maurice "Hippo" Katz died suddenly at his home in Metairie early Tuesday morning.

Funeral services for Mr. Katz will be held Wednesday morning at Metairie Cemetery at 11 a.m. His family had originally said the graveside funeral would be private, but so many people asked to be allowed to attend that the family has decided to invite the public.

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Katz, an insurance executive who had clients throughout South Louisiana, has been an important political figure in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish for more than 30 years. He served on the staff of the late Mayor Dutch Morial and was one of Morial's closest friends.

Following the Morial administration, Katz entered the insurance business and was an almost-instant success. He became one of the closest friends of the late Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee, as well as former Jefferson Parish President Tim Coulon. It was said that the best, funniest and most enjoyable lunch companions in Louisiana were Sheriff Lee and Hippo Katz. Katz was a major contributor to political candidates. In 1991, he raised more than $100,000 for the campaign of former Gov. Edwin W. Edwards in the race against former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.