Senate Concurrent Resolution 502

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF FORMER LEGISLATOR JOHN E. "JOHNNY" ALDRIDGE OF JACKSON AND WINONA, MISSISSIPPI, AND EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, John E. "Johnny" Aldridge, 94, of Jackson and formerly of Winona, died April 22, 2007. Prior to his death, he was believed to be the oldest past member of the Mississippi Legislature, both Senate and House; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Aldridge, a native of Winona, was born September 21, 1912, the son of Charles Hendrix and Cammie Peeples Aldridge, who were both originally from Lodi. He graduated from Winona High School in 1930, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Mississippi in 1934 and his Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from Ole Miss in 1935; and

WHEREAS, he was active in Mississippi politics most all of his life and was on a first name basis with every Mississippi Governor for over the past 80 years; and

WHEREAS, in 1937, he began as a member of the Montgomery County Election Commission, was elected as a Delegate to the 1943, 1951, 1955 and 1959 Mississippi Democrat Party Conventions and was later a Delegate to the 1988 Mississippi Republican Party Convention. In addition, he was a member of the Hinds County Republican Executive Committee and was the first Chairman of Senior Citizens for Reagan/Bush for the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, in 1939 and 1947, he was elected Floater Representative of Montgomery and Grenada Counties in the Mississippi State Legislature. His father had also previously served two terms as a member of the House. As Floater Representative, he couldn't succeed himself since the other floater county was given an opportunity to alternate representation every other term. In between those two four-year House terms, Johnny was elected in 1943 to the Mississippi State Senate from Montgomery and Carroll Counties; and

WHEREAS, during his 12 years of legislative service, he was Chairman of the Forestry, Conservation, and Juvenile Delinquency and Child Welfare Committees. He also was appointed Chairman of the Joint Senate-House Interim Committee to study child welfare legislation and was responsible for helping write and pass the Youth Court Act of 1946. He was then appointed by Governor Fielding Wright and subsequently by Governor Hugh White as a member of the Children's Code Commission representing the Fourth Congressional District from 1946 to 1954. As a legislator, he was also responsible for creating a number of farm-to-market roads in Montgomery, Carroll and Grenada Counties, and establishing a State Tree Nursery in Winona; and

WHEREAS, despite being exempt from having to go into military service, he voluntarily enlisted as a Private for active duty in the United States Army in World War II, where he served in Germany during the war effort. After the war, one of his principal efforts was to serve veterans and help countless Mississippians receive their veteran pensions and benefits without compensation; and

WHEREAS, in a special election in November 1950, he was elected District Attorney of the Fifth Mississippi Judicial District, and was twice reelected. In this capacity, he prosecuted with great ability and handled one of the state's most notable criminal cases, the Goldsby murder trial. He resigned as District Attorney in January 1960, when he was appointed by Governor-elect Ross Barnett as his Executive Legal Counsel and Legislative Aide; and

WHEREAS, he served Governor Barnett during the first legislative session until July 1960, and played a vital role in the passage of some of the most progressive economic development legislation passed in Mississippi. He was then appointed as Executive Director of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission, and served in this position for 18 years under five Governors, longer than any other person, and retired in March 1978; and

WHEREAS, in all, he had over 38 years of total public service in all three branches of state government; and

WHEREAS, upon leaving government service, he went back into the practice of law on a limited basis, serving as Of Counsel to his son Ron at Aldridge Law Offices in Jackson. He was a member of the Montgomery County, Hinds County and Mississippi Bar Associations, and had previously served as Second Vice President (1948) and as a Commissioner (1959) of The Mississippi Bar; and

WHEREAS, always looking out for the best interests of all Mississippi governmental retirees, in 1984 he was one of the principal organizers and spokespersons of the Mississippi Retired Public Employee's Association. He served as its President in 1989 and was a Life Member of its Board of Directors. He and a handful of other key leaders are credited with the statewide campaign that overwhelmingly passed a state Constitutional Amendment protecting the state retiree Trust Fund and with legislation preserving the "thirteenth check"; and

WHEREAS, he was involved in numerous organizations, including Jefferson Davis Beauvoir Shrine Board of Directors and former Camp Commander of the Jefferson Davis Camp 635, Sons of Confederate Veterans; and

WHEREAS, self-described as one of the most important parts of his life, he served as a Deacon and Teacher of Men's Bible classes in the Winona and Jackson First Baptist Churches. His Sunday School teaching extended over a 50-year period and his commitment and desire to attend Sunday School and Church services continued up until the last days of his life; and

WHEREAS, survivors are his wife of over 69 years, Jean Butt Aldridge, and their three sons, Dr. John E. (Jack) Aldridge, Jr., and wife Nancy of Brandon; Franklin B. Aldridge of Ridgeland; and Ronald H. (Ron) Aldridge and wife Beth of Jackson; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, it is with sadness that we note the passing of this public servant whose integrity, friendship and life was a testimony of his commitment to his family, his church and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the life and legacy of former legislator John E. "Johnny" Aldridge of Jackson and Winona, Mississippi, and express to his surviving family the sympathy of the Legislature on his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Johnny Aldridge and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.