Senate Concurrent Resolution 637

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE CIVIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF JOHN LESLIE, FORMER LONGTIME MAYOR OF OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI.

WHEREAS, Mr. John Oliver Leslie, 88, retired Pharmacist and former Mayor of Oxford, passed away Saturday, March 24, 2012; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Leslie was born in Durham, North Carolina, to the late John O. and Alma Burgess Leslie, Sr.; and

WHEREAS, he served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1941 to 1944 and graduated from the University of Mississippi. In honor of Mr. Leslie's service to his country, the flag of the United States Navy was flown at his memorial; and

WHEREAS, John was a Pharmacist in Oxford for 38 years at Leslie's Drugs and a former Mayor of Oxford for 24 years; and

WHEREAS, he was named Oxford Citizen of the Year in 1994. Prior to that he served on the Oxford/Lafayette County Planning Commission, the Oxford/Lafayette County Hospital Board, the Industrial Development Board, the Board of the First National Bank of Oxford, and past-President of the Mississippi Pharmaceutical Association. John also contributed to Oxford in the building of a public library, a new police station, the first public swimming pool, as well as having the John Leslie Tennis Courts and Activity Center built and helped the University with the cooperative effort to build the University Baseball facility; and

WHEREAS, survivors include his wife, Elizabeth Harvey Leslie of Oxford, Mississippi; two daughters, Ann Leslie Sutherland (Wade) of Oxford and Leigh Leslie Harrison (Hunter) of Memphis, Tennessee; one son, A. Harvey Leslie (Lauren) of Grenada; and nine grandchildren: Lenwood Brooks, John Leslie Brooks, Reed Harrison, Cole Harrison, Clay Harrison, Kate Leslie, Genie Leslie, Mary Pat Leslie and John Harvey Leslie; and

WHEREAS, it is with sadness that we note the passing of a respected civic leader and Veteran whose great spirit enriched the lives of all his colleagues and fellow citizens:

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 civic contributions of John Leslie, former longtime Mayor of Oxford, Mississippi, and extend our sympathy to his surviving family on his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Mayor Leslie's surviving family, forwarded to the Mayor and Aldermen of Oxford and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.