MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2016

By: Senator(s) Horhn, Norwood, Frazier, To: Rules Blount, Simmons (12th), Simmons (13th), Jordan, Butler, Dearing, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Blackmon, Barnett, Blackwell, Stone, Burton, Caughman, Witherspoon

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 572

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE PASSING OF NFL AND 2 FOOTBALL LEGEND AND FORMER DEPARTMENT OF 3 FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION CAPITOL FACILITIES DIRECTOR WILLIE 4 RICHARDSON AND EXTENDING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE. 5 WHEREAS, the Legislature was saddened to learn of the passing 6 of and Jackson State University Football 7 Legend and former Director of the Bureau of Capitol Facilities

8 Willie Richardson of Jackson, Mississippi; and 9 WHEREAS, Richardson, 76, was inducted into the College 10 Football Hall of Fame in 2003. He played nine seasons in the NFL, 11 mostly for the Baltimore Colts, and appeared in Super Bowl III 12 with the New York Jets in the historic AFL victory led by 13 Quarterback Joe Namath. Richardson was First-Team All-Pro in 1967 14 and made the in 1967 and 1968; and

15 WHEREAS, Richardson was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in the 16 seventh round of the 1963 NFL draft. He finished his professional 17 career with 195 receptions for 2,950 yards and 25 touchdowns. He 18 was inducted into the Jackson State Hall of Fame in 1978 and into 19 the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1979. "Everything he did S. C. R. No. 572 *SS01/R1068* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 16/SS01/R1068 PAGE 1 (lr\rc) 20 athletically was smooth. He made everything look easy," 21 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Historian Rick 22 Cleveland said; and 23 WHEREAS, he became Director of Enforcement in the Weight 24 Division of the Mississippi State Tax Commission, December 1980; 25 and

26 WHEREAS, Willie Richardson was Director of the Bureau of the 27 Capitol Facilities under the Musgrove administration and was 28 responsible for upgrading infrastructure at the Capitol Complex; 29 and 30 WHEREAS, he leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Earline O. 31 Richardson; children: Sonji (Boyce) Richardson, Willie 32 Richardson, III, and Shawn E. (Terry) Richardson; and we pay

33 tribute and cherish fondly the memory of this most public-spirited 34 football pioneer and public servant of Mississippi: 35 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 36 MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 37 we do hereby mourn the passing of NFL and Jackson State University

38 Football Legend and former Department of Finance and 39 Administration Capitol Facilities Director Willie Richardson and

40 extend the sympathy of the Legislature. 41 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to 42 the surviving family of Willie Richardson, forwarded to the 43 Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame, and made available to the Capitol 44 Press Corps.

S. C. R. No. 572 *SS01/R1068* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 16/SS01/R1068 ST: Mourn the passing of NFL and JSU football PAGE 2 (lr\rc) legend and former DFA Administrator Willie Richardson.