MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Tollison, Burton, Butler (38th), Clarke, Fillingane, Frazier, Hopson, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Kirby, Lee (35th), McDaniel, Montgomery, Stone, Turner, Ward, Wilemon
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE CAREER OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF FORMER STATE SENATOR, U.S. ATTORNEY AND WORLD WAR II VETERAN THOMAS RAMAGE ETHRIDGE OF OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI, AND EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE.
WHEREAS, former Mississippi State Senator Thomas Ramage Ethridge, 92, passed away on Sunday, August 29, 2010, at his home in Oxford, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ethridge was born in West Point, Mississippi, on May 2, 1918. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from the University of Mississippi and his LLB from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, UM Alumni Association Hall of Fame and former President of the Ole Miss Jazz Alumni Club. Mr. Ethridge was in the United States Marine Corps, 4th Marine Division, from 1941-1946 participating in battles in the Pacific at Roi-Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima, and retired as a Major; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ethridge was a Mississippi State Senator from 1948-1954 and the first full-time United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi from 1954-1961. He was a partner in the law firm of Ethridge and Grisham and was of Council with Hickman, Goza and Spraggins and a Professor of Law at the University of Mississippi Law School. Mr. Ethridge has been an officer or a board member of many different bar associations and was the recipient of the 2007 Lafayette County Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ethridge was a member, former Elder, Deacon, and Chairman of the Board of Deacons of the First Presbyterian Church. He was a former board member of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, former trustee of the Mary Buie Museum and former President of Friends of the Museum. He was also a former board member of the Oxford-Lafayette County Hospital; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Ethridge was preceded in death by his wife, Esther Lewis Ethridge; his parents, W.N. Ethridge and Laura Ramage Ethridge; and his brother, W.N. Ethridge, Jr. He is survived by two daughters, Lenore Ethridge Hobbs (Mit) of Oxford, Mississippi, and Laura Ethridge Gresham (Walton) of Indianola, Mississippi; five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, it is with sadness that we note the passing of a respected member of the Mississippi legal profession whose service to his community, state and to his country is an example for all citizens in 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 mourn the loss and commend the career of public service of former State Senator, United States Attorney and World War II Officer Thomas Ramage Ethridge of Oxford, Mississippi, and express to his surviving family our sympathy on his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Mr. Ethridge, forwarded to the Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Law and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.