PERRYVILLE — James “Jim” Eberhardt is being remembered as someone who cared about his hometown but also all of Cecil County.
A funeral service was held Monday for Eberhardt, who died last week. He was 80.
He was the Mayor of Perryville from 2004-2018. His seven terms make him the longest serving mayor in the history of Perryville.
Michelle Linkey, who became mayor in May, served with him from 2009 until 2018 as a town commissioner.
“He was kind and open minded but also firm,” Linkey said. “He knew what had to be done and he did it.”
She also described Eberhardt as a gifted speaker calling him “one of the best I’ve ever heard.”
Travis Marion, Mayor of Rising Sun, described Eberhardt as “super-dedicated to Perryville.”
“Even after he left office,” Marion said.
As the youngest mayor in Maryland when he took office in 2012, Marion said Eberhardt’s knowledge was invaluable.
“When I came on as a young mayor I was able to lean on him for advice,” he said. He also considered Eberhardt a mentor, whose style of leadership he wanted to follow.
“He would often say “A rising tide raises all boats,” Marion said. “He wanted the best for all Cecil County towns.”
He also sought the help from other towns too.
“Jim would reach out to to see how we were doing this or that,” he said.
Elkton Mayor Rob Alt called Eberhardt “a good friend and a mentor.”
Judy Cox, who was Mayor of Rising Sun from 2003 to 2010, said she also would seek Eberhardt’s counsel.
In a statement on the Perryville Facebook page that announced Eberhardt’s passing, George Patchell, town administrator, noted all the projects that had Eberhardt’s name on them.
“During his time as Mayor, he was influential in the creation of the Police Department, Outreach Program, bringing in Perryville Station, the new Perryville branch of Cecil County Public Library, upgrading the water and sewer plants, a new building for the town department of public works, acquisition of park property for Lower Ferry and Icehouse parks, Lower Ferry Pier at Rodgers Tavern, and the boat launch at Roundhouse Drive,” the post reads.
Bob Nitz, Perryville Chief of Police, said Eberhardt was not just a great man and a great mayor, he was also a great person.
“He always had a smile on his face like he was talking to a friend,” Nitz said. “Being around him made you happy.”
Eberhardt liked doing the little things for people too. Nitz recalled that, about two Christmases ago, he was picking up his dry cleaning. He took out his wallet to pay but found out his bill had been covered.
“On the ticket was a hand written note from the mayor saying ‘Merry Christmas,’” Nitz said. “He was full of wonderful acts, many of which I’m sure no one knows about.”
Nitz joined Perryville Police Department in 2010 after retiring from Maryland State Police. It was Eberhardt who hired him, Nitz said. In July 2020, he became chief of the town department.
“He was a part of bringing back the Perryville Police Department,” Nitz said. “He always showed up for our events. He’d ask us about our families, he’d ask about golf.”
Danielle Hemling, director of PPD Outreach, said Eberhardt was a dedicated supporter of the after school and summer camp program from its beginning.
“He was a true supporter until the end,” Hemling said. Even after leaving office he would stop by and check on the program.
“The last time I saw him he asked about the bugs around our front light,” Hemling said of the entrance to the building on Elm Street. “The bugs are ridiculous.”
“The next day he came out with a power washer at my front door and he power washed the building,” she said. “He did it himself.”
Eberhardt’s family has requested that anyone wishing to make a donation in his memory make it to the Perryville Police Department Outreach Program through its “ Friends of PPD Outreach Foundation .”
Rising Sun Commissioner Augie Pierson called Eberhardt “a gracious guy.”
“All he could think about was Perryville and making Perryville better,” Pierson said.
“He will be missed,” Nitz said.
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