MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2015

By: The Entire Membership To: Rules

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 82

1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE 2 LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICE OF FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE 3 OF REPRESENTATIVES TIMOTHY ALAN (TIM) FORD, AND EXPRESSING THE 4 SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE. 5 WHEREAS, on February 27, 2015, the State of Mississippi, and 6 particularly the Mississippi State Legislature, lost a visionary 7 leader, friend, lawmaker and respected attorney, with the passing 8 of former Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives Tim 9 Ford, and Speaker Ford's family and friends lost a devoted father, 10 husband, brother and loyal friend; and 11 WHEREAS, Timothy Alan (Tim) Ford was born on October 22,

12 1951, to Rachel Agnew Ford and Dr. John Mitchell Ford, and grew up 13 in Baldwyn, Mississippi, where he was a devoted Eagle Scout, was 14 an All Tombigbee quarterback of the Baldwyn Bearcats, and was the 15 Valedictorian of his high school graduating class; and 16 WHEREAS, Speaker Ford was a staunch and loyal supporter of 17 all things related to the University of Mississippi - first

18 earning an undergraduate degree from his beloved Ole Miss where he 19 participated in track, was a member of the Epsilon Xi Chapter of H. C. R. No. 82 *HR31/R2094* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2 15/HR31/R2094 PAGE 1 (TT\JAB) 20 Sigma Nu Fraternity and served as the fraternity's "Commander," 21 was elected by his peers to serve as cheerleader, and later 22 earning his law degree from Ole Miss; and 23 WHEREAS, following graduation from law school, Speaker Ford 24 practiced law with the firm of Carnathan and Malski, and began his

25 career as a public servant by becoming an Assistant District 26 Attorney in Northeast Mississippi; and 27 WHEREAS, he began his service as a legislator in 1980 when he 28 was sworn in as a member of the Mississippi House of 29 Representatives, serving House District 18, which at that time 30 included parts of Lee, Prentiss and Pontotoc Counties; and

31 WHEREAS, Speaker Ford's abilities and talent were immediately 32 recognized by his colleagues, and when combined with his strong 33 work ethic, he rose quickly from freshman lawmaker to the 34 influential Chair of the subcommittee of the Ways and Means 35 Committee handling important bond measures, then to Chair of the 36 House Apportionment and Elections Committee from 1984--1988 during

37 which time his leadership resulted in the passage of 38 groundbreaking election reform embodied in the Election Code of 39 1986 followed by personal meetings with the United States 40 Department of Justice to secure the department's approval of the 41 act, and his dramatic rise to leadership culminated in his 1988 42 election by his colleagues to the Office of Speaker; and

43 WHEREAS, widely considered to be one of the most influential 44 state leaders in the country during his service as Speaker,

H. C. R. No. 82 *HR31/R2094* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 15/HR31/R2094 PAGE 2 (TT\JAB) 45 Speaker Ford maintained a strong leadership role in every 46 meaningful initiative that was addressed by the Mississippi 47 Legislature during his tenure, including economic development, 48 fiscal affairs, education, gaming, public health, transportation, 49 agriculture, and election reform initiatives and programs; and

50 WHEREAS, Speaker Ford's love and deeply felt respect for the 51 Legislature as an institution led him to fight to preserve and 52 nurture its integrity, making him a guardian of this democratic 53 institution during a time in Mississippi's history when the 54 diversity of the House membership expanded to include meaningful 55 participation by women, African Americans and Republicans, as well

56 as the majority group of Democrats; and 57 WHEREAS, a rare leader who was able to lead effectively while 58 promoting and protecting the strength of the Legislature, Speaker 59 Ford was known to be a fair and evenhanded steward of the 60 legislative process; and 61 WHEREAS, he was a talented peacemaker who ensured that all

62 members had the opportunity to participate fully in the 63 legislative process, as shown by his appointment of members from 64 all of the diverse factions of the House membership to key 65 leadership positions, thereby promoting stakeholder loyalty to the 66 House over individual political affiliations; and 67 WHEREAS, Speaker Ford's leadership abilities were recognized

68 nationally, as demonstrated by his service as Chair of the 69 Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State

H. C. R. No. 82 *HR31/R2094* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 15/HR31/R2094 PAGE 3 (TT\JAB) 70 Governments, President of the Southern Speakers Conference, Vice 71 Chair of the Southern Growth Policies Board, and Chair of the 72 Board of Directors of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation; 73 and 74 WHEREAS, in 2001, Speaker Ford was the first speaker ever to

75 receive the prestigious "William M. Bulger Excellence in State 76 Legislative Leadership Award," an award given annually to a leader 77 who makes a significant contribution to the performance, the 78 strengthening and operation of the branch of government in which 79 he serves, with the nomination for the national award made by 80 lawmakers and state government observers across the United States,

81 and this leadership award was followed by his receipt of the 82 Supreme Court 2003 Chief Justice award; and 83 WHEREAS, Speaker Ford was widely admired for his talent in 84 building consensus in the Legislature, regardless of the issue at 85 hand, and the members of the House relied on that talent in the 86 face of challenging legislative deliberations; and

87 WHEREAS, even while he led the House with strength and 88 courage, Speaker Ford was known for his congenial nature, ability 89 to listen effectively and infectious sense of humor, qualities 90 which enabled him to defuse volatile and controversial situations; 91 and 92 WHEREAS, after his retirement from the Legislature which was

93 effective in January 2004, Speaker Ford returned to the practice 94 of law, becoming a senior partner in the firm of Balch and

H. C. R. No. 82 *HR31/R2094* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 15/HR31/R2094 PAGE 4 (TT\JAB) 95 Bingham, where he maintained an office in Jackson, Mississippi; 96 and 97 WHEREAS, Speaker Ford served the Mississippi House of 98 Representatives well, and his passion for making that body 99 stronger as an institution when he retired than it was when he

100 arrived will wield a positive influence on the work of the House 101 for decades to follow; and 102 WHEREAS, what Tim accomplished in public service, however 103 noted and honorable, does not compare with the lives that he 104 touched, friends that he made and happiness that he brought to 105 everyone who knew him; and

106 WHEREAS, a generous and good-natured person who performed 107 untold good deeds behind the scenes without seeking recognition, 108 Tim valued his family and friends above all else in his life, as 109 evidenced by the happiness he shared with his wife, Kathy; by 110 being the proud father of his sons, Ken and Sam; and of Kathy's 111 daughters, Hope and Leighton; by being a doting grandfather, and

112 by his special bond and affection for his sister, Nan and brother, 113 Chip; and 114 WHEREAS, he is survived by his wife, Kathy Braddock Ford of 115 Jackson, Mississippi; sons, Kenneth Alan Ford (Debbie) of 116 Nashville, Tennessee, and Samuel Ford of Columbus, Mississippi, 117 and their mother, Mary Foose Shannon, of West Point, Mississippi;

118 daughters, Hope Mitchell (Gerry) of Meridian, Mississippi, and 119 Leighton Mason (Robert) of Oxford, Mississippi; grandchildren,

H. C. R. No. 82 *HR31/R2094* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 15/HR31/R2094 PAGE 5 (TT\JAB) 120 Simmons Ford, Eli Mitchell, Meredith Mitchell, Mims Mason and Bo 121 Mason; sister, Nan Robinson (Greg) of Meridian, Mississippi, and 122 brother, Chip Ford (Janice) of Greenwood, Mississippi; and 123 WHEREAS, the members of this Legislature will long remember 124 that Tim Ford loved life, family, laughter and the Legislature,

125 and that his life well lived honored the Mississippi Legislature, 126 The Mississippi Bar and this great state that he loved and served: 127 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 128 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING 129 THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commend the life and 130 public service of former Speaker of the Mississippi House of

131 Representatives Timothy Alan (Tim) Ford, and express deepest 132 sympathy of the Legislature upon his passing. 133 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 134 furnished to the surviving family of former Speaker Tim Ford, the 135 Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, the Epsilon Xi 136 Chapter of Sigma Nu Fraternity, the Managing Partner of Balch &

137 Bingham, LLP, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.

H. C. R. No. 82 *HR31/R2094* ~ OFFICIAL ~ 15/HR31/R2094 ST: Speaker Tim Ford; commend life and public PAGE 6 (TT\JAB) service of.