Senate Concurrent Resolution 555

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE PASSING AND COMMENDING THE LIFE AND CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF BUSINESSMAN WIRT ADAMS YERGER, JR., OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, AND RECOGNIZING HIS LEADERSHIP IN THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF OUR STATE.

WHEREAS, we extend the deep and heartfelt sympathy of the Legislature on the passing of Wirt Adams Yerger, Jr., of Jackson, Mississippi, on May 2, 2022; and

WHEREAS, a native of Jackson, Wirt was born on March 18, 1930, the son of the late Rivers Applewhite Yerger and Wirt Adams Yerger. He was educated in the Jackson Public Schools and became an Eagle Scout at age fifteen. Wirt received a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of Mississippi, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity; and

WHEREAS, from 1952 to 1954 he served as First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command. In 1956, he married Mary Polk Montague of Hattiesburg; and

WHEREAS, in 1954 Wirt joined Ross & Yerger, Inc., Mississippi's first insurance agency, founded in 1860. During his forty-eight years of leadership, the agency grew from three to fifty-three employees. In February 2002, Ross & Yerger became employee-owned, and Wirt continued to serve as Chairman Emeritus; and

WHEREAS, he was the first insurance agent in Mississippi to hold both the CPCU and CLU designations and was the first Mississippian invited to be an Underwriting Name at Lloyd's of London. He also served as President of the Mississippi Association of Insurance Agents; and

WHEREAS, Wirt gave unselfishly and generously to his community. He was a past President of Metropolitan Boys Club, Metropolitan YMCA and Jackson Rotary Club; and

WHEREAS, he received the Jackson Junior Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award in 1956 and 1960. He founded both the Metropolitan Crime Commission and Fondren Renaissance Foundation; and

WHEREAS, he was a former Director of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, the Mississippi Insurance Council, and the Community Foundation for Mississippi, establishing one of their first donor advised funds; and

WHEREAS, he was a founding trustee of Jackson Preparatory School and a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served as a Deacon; and

WHEREAS, Wirt was the leader in establishing the Republican Party in Mississippi, serving as State Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party from 1956 until 1966. He was also Chairman of the Southern Association of Republican State Chairmen; and

WHEREAS, in May of 2009 he was honored as Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Emeritus for his work in building a two-party political system in Mississippi. He ended his speech with these words, "The best advice I give to you is always choose principles over pragmatism and power. Standing on principles is not easy, you get tired and discouraged, but the satisfaction of accomplishing all you can for a better nation is worth it all"; and

WHEREAS, Wirt's greatest reward was being a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and brother. He built special and everlasting relationships with each member of his family throughout their lives. Wirt unselfishly gave of his time, talents, resources and love, not only to his family, but to many friends in all walks of life; and

WHEREAS, he is survived by his wife Mary Montague Yerger of Jackson, Mississippi; son Wirt Adams Yerger, III, (Linda Biggers Yerger); daughter, Mary Yerger Dunbar (Thomas Tarver Dunbar); son, Frank Montague Yerger (Jane Prater Yerger); granddaughters, Mary Montague Dunbar and Sarah Jane Rivers Yerger; grandsons: Wirt Adams Yerger, IV, (Jordan Jones Yerger), James David Yerger (Natalie Sink Yerger), Richard Montague Yerger (Rachael Hardin Yerger), John Taylor Yerger (Lauren Meyer Yerger), Thomas Yerger Dunbar, Wirt Yerger Dunbar, Frank Montague Yerger, Jr., and Harlan Prater Yerger; great-grandchildren: Jane Ellen Yerger, Anny Elizabeth Yerger, Mary Adams Yerger, Richard Montague Yerger, Jr., William Hardin Yerger, John Taylor Yerger, Jr., Anna Gray Yerger and Ellen Gray Yerger; brothers, William Swan Yerger (Gingia Palmer Yerger) and Ivan Bass Yerger (Sandra Pate Yerger); sister, Rivers Yerger Lurate; and several nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, we pay tribute and cherish fondly the memory of this most public spirited citizen of Mississippi whose enormous civic energy is a record of achievement and legacy of leadership in the state he loved:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the passing and commend the life and civic contributions of businessman Wirt Adams Yerger, Jr., of Jackson, Mississippi, and recognize his leadership in the political history of our state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented on this day to the surviving family of Wirt Yerger, forwarded to the Mississippi Association of Insurance Agents, the Jackson Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Rotary Club and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.