MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Fillingane, Johnson, Barnett, Barrett, Berry, Blackmon, Blackwell, Blount, Boyd, Brumfield, Bryan, Butler, Carter, Chassaniol, Chism, DeBar, DeLano, England, Frazier, Harkins, Hickman, Hill, Hopson, Horhn, Jackson, Jordan, Kirby, Ladner, McCaughn, McLendon, McMahan, Michel, Norwood, Parker, Parks, Polk, Rhodes, Robinson, Seymour, Simmons (12th), Simmons (13th), Sparks, Suber, Tate, Thomas, Thompson, Turner-Ford, Whaley, Wiggins, Williams, Younger
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE SINCEREST SYMPATHY OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO THE SURVIVING FAMILY OF THE HONORABLE EDWIN LLOYD PITTMAN, FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE MISSISSIPPI SUPREME COURT, FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE, FORMER TWO TERM MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATOR, AND FORMER BRIGADIER GENERAL OF THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD.
WHEREAS, it is with sadness that we note the passing of The Honorable Edwin Lloyd Pittman, former Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, former Attorney General, former Secretary of State, former two-term Mississippi State Senator, and former Brigadier General of the Mississippi National Guard on September 25, 2024; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pittman was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on January 2, 1935, as the fourth of five children of Lloyd Pittman and Pauline McRaney Pittman. Mr. Pittman's father, Lloyd, was one of five Pittman brothers, all respected and active members of the Hattiesburg community. The brothers were Claude Pittman, former Mayor of Hattiesburg; Homer Pittman, long-time District Attorney in Forrest County; Clyde Pittman of Lexington, Kentucky; Lloyd Pittman, and Calhoun Pittman. Mr. Pittman's mother, Pauline McRaney Pittman, was the eldest of nine children of Reid McRaney and Bertha Hood McRaney of the Lone Star community in Covington County; and
WHEREAS, at the age of 13, Edwin rode by train to our nation's capital, where he served as page in the U.S. House of Representatives for Congressman William Colmer. As a page, Edwin lived in a boarding house near the Capitol across from Washington Union Station and attended a school for pages in the attic of the Library of Congress. He returned home to Hattiesburg public schools where he had a circle of friends that remained close for a lifetime. He participated in school theatre productions, YMCA, and high school fraternal organizations. He was a member of Hattiesburg High School Class of 1953, which only ceased meetings this year due to the increasing age and declining health of the membership; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from Hattiesburg High School, Mr. Pittman attended The University of Southern Mississippi, where he was President of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Mr. Pittman's other activities at the University of Southern Mississippi included ROTC and participation in student government. After obtaining his bachelor's degree in political science, Mr. Pittman entered the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1957, where he earned his Juris Doctor, and served as President of his graduating class. During his law school days, he married the late Barbara Peel, of Greenwood. After graduation, the couple went to Fort Benning, Georgia, for Mr. Pittman's military training; and
WHEREAS, he began his political career in 1963, campaigning in the southern Mississippi Senate district of Forrest, Lamar, and Marion counties. His wife and children actively campaigned for him, often giving speeches to support him. From 1971 to 1987, the family's campaign activities covered all 82 counties of the state. Mr. Pittman served this state until his retirement in 2004 and was proud to have done so; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Pittman was elected to the Mississippi Senate in 1964 representing his hometown of Hattiesburg. He went on to serve in the state-elected offices of Treasurer, Secretary of State and Attorney General. He served as Attorney General from 1984 to 1988; and
WHEREAS, after losing the gubernatorial bid in an ultra-competitive Democrat primary that included other statewide elected officials and a past governor, Pittman came back to capture a seat on the State Supreme Court in 1989. "Chief Pittman provided exemplary leadership to the Mississippi Judiciary as chief justice," said former Chief Justice Bill Waller, Jr., who served with Pittman on the state's highest court. "His accomplishments for efficiency, transparency and access to justice had a profound effect on our legal system. He championed the establishment of shorter deadlines for hearing cases ... brought rule changes to allow cameras in the courtroom and improved access to justice for the poor and disadvantaged, to name a few. The court system today is better for his untiring efforts and dedication to duty"; and
WHEREAS, as chief justice, Pittman was credited with making the Supreme Court more transparent and posting dockets and oral arguments online. He also led the effort to put in place regulations to allow news cameras in the courtroom at a time when only a handful of states were allowing them. Truly, as Justice Waller stated, Pittman worked to garner public funding to provide access to the judiciary for the needy. Pittman said at the time, "We have to recognize the fact that we in many communities are frankly failing to get legal services to the people who need it .... It's time that the courts help shoulder the burden of rendering legal services to the needy in Mississippi"; and
WHEREAS, in 2011, Governor Haley Barbour awarded Pittman the Mississippi Medal of Service. "The people of this state have honored me with a wonderful trip through life," Pittman said at the awards ceremony. Current Chief Justice Mike Randolph said, "Even though he served in all these important government positions, he never lost his common touch"; and
WHEREAS, "He was a consummate politician and public servant. He's an important figure in Mississippi's history," said U.S. Court of Appeals Judge James Graves. Graves was the third African American Mississippian to serve on the modern Supreme Court. Earlier in Graves' career, he was hired to a position in the Attorney General's office by Pittman; and
WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Barbara Lucille Peel Pittman and son, Edwin (Win) Lloyd Pittman, Jr., his parents; siblings, Mary Ann Pittman Francis (Gene), Joyce Pittman Tadlock (John), Franklin Reid (Buddy) Pittman, Sr. (Carolyn), and Kelly Lamar Pittman; also, his nephews, Franklin Reid Pittman, Jr., and niece, Debra Francis Walker (Bo). He leaves behind his wife, Virginia Star Lund Browne Pittman; children and stepchildren, Melanie Wakeland (John), Jennifer Martin (Ricky), Will Browne, Michael Browne, Joly Browne Nield (Bruce), and Betsy Browne McClendon (John); grandchildren, Barbara Hart Wakeland Byrd (Chad), Margaret Lucille Wakeland Haag (Aaron), John Thomas Wakeland III, (Catherine), Edwin (Tad) Lloyd Pittman III, Christian Reid Pittman, Lauren Nield Kump (Jake), Elizabeth Nield Jones (Nick), Connor McClendon, Bill McClendon, Taylor Browne, and Lindsey Browne; and three great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Judge Pittman served as a leader and mentor. He consistently lectured on professional standards of the practice, including ethics, integrity, civility, courtesy and adherence to the Golden Rule. Justice Pittman's life honored both The Mississippi Bar and this great state that he loved and served:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby extend the sincerest sympathy of the Mississippi Senate to the surviving family of The Honorable Edwin Lloyd Pittman, former Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, former Attorney General, former Secretary of State, former two- term Mississippi State Senator, and former Brigadier General of the Mississippi National Guard on September 25, 2024, and commend his service to his community and his state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of former Senator Edwin Lloyd Pittman, forwarded to The Mississippi Bar, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.