House Resolution 69

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF LEGENDARY RODEO CLOWN LECILE HARRIS AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, on February 13, 2020, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Lecile Harris, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family and friends; and

WHEREAS, legendary rodeo clown Lecile Harris brought so much joy to so many, and there is now a hush in our hearts as we come together to pay our respects to the memory of one who has been called to join that innumerable heavenly caravan; and

WHEREAS, born in Lake Cormorant, Mississippi, on November 6, 1936, Lecile and his family moved to Collierville, Tennessee, where he lived until his passing, and he was preceded in death by his parents Rubye and Marvin Harris; and

WHEREAS, Lecile Harris got his start in rodeo as a bull rider and then a fill-in bullfighter while still in high school and developed into one of the sport's most respected funnymen over a career that has spanned more than half a century, and he was called the "Dean of Rodeo Clowns/Bullfighters," he was PRCA Clown of the Year in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996, and he was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2007 and Bull-riding Hall of Fame, Bull-fighters - Legends in 2020, having performed all over the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe and Africa; and

WHEREAS, Lecile performed at more than 140 rodeos each year, his timing, inventiveness and classic style was the envy of his contemporaries, and he became well known for his signature end to a performance — as The Original Bulldancer — in which he would dance with a bull from the bucking stock; and

WHEREAS, Lecile's style is influenced by the work of several comedians he grew up admiring, including Emmett Kelly, Red Skelton, W.C. Fields and Laurel and Hardy, and the painted face he used in his acts has been part of his persona since 1955 when he was asked to serve as an emergency replacement at Sardis, Mississippi, and used shoe polish and lipstick from the local drug store to prepare; and

WHEREAS, the multi-talented Lecile was a football player at the University of Tennessee-Martin, a session drummer and songwriter in the Memphis area during the 1950s and early 1960s, when Sun Records and Hi Records were in their peak, and having performed on television and in films, he spent five years on the TV series Hee Haw and appeared in the films Walking Tall: The Final Chapter, The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James and W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings; and

WHEREAS, in his college years, Lecile started his sign making company which he continued throughout his life, and nearly every sign on the Collierville square was handcrafted by Lecile; and

WHEREAS, on August 11, 1957, Lecile Harris married the love of his life, Ethel Bledsoe, and they had two sons, Matt and Chuck, and one daughter, Christi, and he has since become a beloved grandfather to four and a great-grandfather to five, and as much as he was adored by hundreds of thousands of fans around the world, Lecile was loved and cherished deeply by his family who knew a different side of him; and

WHEREAS, somewhere between the fiercest of protectors and a sweet gentle man with a golden heart, where tough love meets compassion, and the first to lend a hand and the last to ask for one, Lecile was a man of pure values, generosity and unwavering authenticity; and

WHEREAS, in his passing, he leaves behind his wife, Ethel Harris; sons, Matt (Joy) and Chuck Harris; daughter, Christi Lalonde (Donny); sister, Mary Jo Wilson; nephew, Jimmy Wilson; niece, Wanda Moyer; grandchildren, Justin Harris (Dana), Indie Rhoda (Cody), Dylan and Bailey Lalonde; great-grandchildren, JJ, Cole, Harper Harris, Logan Kendrick and Coy Rhoda; his beloved dog, Duke; and

WHEREAS, Lecile was the kind of father, grandfather and great-grandfather who took time to teach his kin skills and valuable lessons, to connect and pass along his wisdom and knowledge and will forever be remembered with love by many:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commemorate the life and legacy of legendary rodeo clown Lecile Harris and express deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Lecile Harris and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.