Senate Concurrent Resolution 504

(As Adopted by Senate and House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICE OF SENATOR CHARLES RAY NIX OF PANOLA COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, A "SPORTSMAN'S SPORTSMAN," AND EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE LEGISLATURE.

WHEREAS, the Legislature and the State of Mississippi lost a friend, colleague, gentleman and a "Sportsman's Sportsman" with the death of former State Senator Charles Ray Nix on Saturday, December 21, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Senator Nix served as State Senator from 1972 through 1988 before being selected to serve as Executive Director of the South Panola Area Chamber of Commerce. Nix served on many Senate committees during his tenure, but was especially close to the Conservation Committee, where he served as Chairman for two terms beginning in 1980; and

WHEREAS, Nix, a retired State Senator, represented Panola, Yalobusha, Quitman and Tate Counties in the Mississippi Senate. During his tenure, he served on numerous committees and was appointed Chairman of the Investigate State Offices Committee and Vice Chairman of the Military Affairs Committee, of which he became Chairman in 1976. In his 1980 and 1984 terms, he served as Chairman of the Conservation Committee, which is now the Senate Committee for Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. It was during this service that he had a major impact on wildlife and conservation management in Mississippi. Nix was instrumental in passing important legislation such as placing a moratorium on landfills, authorizing paraplegics to hunt with crossbows, requiring hunter education courses as a prerequisite for a hunting license, authorizing designation on income tax forms for the Mississippi Natural Heritage Program, improving groundwater quality standards, and prohibiting hunting from public roads; and

WHEREAS, it is an indisputable fact. There is no limit on the number of outdoor enthusiasts in the State of Mississippi. Thanks to the efforts of Charles Ray Nix, a higher hunting standard has been set for the sake of posterity. He was called a "Sportsman's Sportsman" and is credited for much of the professionalism now practiced by Mississippians and the modern-day Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. Because of his 16 years of diligent service in the Mississippi Senate, nearly 4,000 acres of prime hunting property in Panola County have recently been named the Charles Ray Nix Wildlife Management Area in his honor by the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks; and

WHEREAS, Nix retired from the Senate in 1988 and returned to Batesville where he served as Executive Director of the South Panola Area Chamber of Commerce and the Panola County Development Foundation from 1984 through 1996 until his retirement. During his tenure in Batesville's economic development arena, he helped bring Framed Picture Enterprise, Insituform Technologies, Inc., Crown Cork and Seal, and Batesville Casket Company to Batesville; and

WHEREAS, also a noted family man, Nix met his wife Pat in Hawaii while serving in the Marine Corps. They were married for 62 years and were the parents of 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He served at Pearl Harbor for 3-1/2 years during the Korean War. Upon his return from military service, Nix farmed 17 years in the Curtis Station area near Batesville before being elected to the Mississippi Senate in 1972; and

WHEREAS, friends and acquaintances tout Nix as not just a political force, but also as someone who had a heart for the sport of hunting in Mississippi. The humble former Senator commented, "Hunting has always been an extremely important part of my life, as it has to many Mississippians. When I was in the Senate, I tried to give each piece of legislation a good, commonsense approach to improve standards of hunting in our state. The Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks does an excellent job maintaining and improving the quality of hunting in Mississippi. It is a huge industry for us, but our main focus has always been the future of hunting in Mississippi. We must preserve our standards for future generations"; and

WHEREAS, Senator Nix's public service was exemplified by sound judgment and fairness, and he set the highest standard in all of his many roles, as a father, husband, grandfather, businessman, sportsman, citizen statesman, conservation leader and leader in the Mississippi Senate and as a true friend:

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 public service of former Senator Charles Ray Nix of Panola County, Mississippi, and express to his family the sympathy of the Legislature on his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Senator Nix, forwarded to the Panola County Development Foundation, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.