23249-1:N:11/18/1999:BD/bd LRS1999-8714

HJR32
By Representatives Carns, Payne, Hawkins, Page, Allen, Baker, Bandy, Beasley, Beason, Black (L), Black (M), Boothe, Boyd, Buskey, Carothers, Carter, Clark, Clouse, Crigler, Curry, Dean, Dolbare, Dukes, Dunn, Ford, Ford (J), Fuller, Gaines, Galliher, Gaston, Gipson, Graham, Grantland, Greene, Greeson, Guin, Hall (A), Hall (L), Hamilton, Hammett, Haney, Hawk, Hayden, Hill, Hilliard, Hogan, Holmes, Hooper, Houston, Hubbard, Humphryes, Hurst, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Kennedy, Knight, Laird, Layson, Letson, Lindsey, Major, Mancuso, Martin, Maull, McClammy, McClurkin, McDaniel, McKee, McMillan, Melton, Millican, Mitchell, Morrison, Morrow, Morton, Newton (C), Newton (D), Oden, Parker (T), Parker (W), Penry, Perdue, Pringle, Robinson (J), Robinson (O), Rogers (J), Rogers (M), Sanderford, Sanderson, Schmitz, Seibenhener, Spicer, Starkey, Thigpen, Thomas (D), Thomas (E), Thomas (J), Turner, Vance, Venable, Warren, White, Willis and Wren
RFD
Rd 1 19-NOV-1999

MOURNING THE DEATH OF TED BRYANT.

WHEREAS, herein recorded with deep sorrow and regret is the death of our friend, Ted Bryant, on June 24, 1999, at the age of only 59, after writing about politics in Alabama with vigor, honesty, and passion for close to 40 years, almost exclusively with the Birmingham Post-Herald; and

WHEREAS, Ted Bryant was born on July 17, 1939, in Geneva County, Alabama, the son of Will and Lola Bryant, and he grew up on tenant farms in Geneva and Houston Counties; although Ted did complete high school and some classes at the University of Alabama and Samford University, he never took a class in journalism; and

WHEREAS, politicians, journalists, and faithful readers have expressed sorrow at the loss of a reporter and political columnist whose friendly personality belied the seriousness with which he sought to identify the interests that blocked progress here in his beloved home state; and

WHEREAS, Ted Bryant never failed to be guided by his concern for the common people whose voices were seldom heard in Montgomery, and as former State Senator Mac Parsons said, "Ted was a champion for the little man; his column was the place that the coal miners, the textile workers, and the employees in a chicken processing plant got his or her say..."; and

WHEREAS, as a reporter, Ted also cared deeply about being first and being complete, just as he cared deeply about Alabama becoming a better governed state and, as a columnist, he expressed his opinions in a separate way from his carefully objective writing as a seasoned reporter; as former journalist Skip Tucker said, "He was a Renaissance man, that rare breed of poet warrior whose written words sing like songs and paint pictures for posterity"; and

WHEREAS, legislators and other state political leaders, history professors, and readers of his columns will miss reading the book that Ted wanted to write, and we will all miss the depth of his knowledge, the strength of his good heart, and the breadth of his good humor and fairness; now therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That we are indeed saddened by the death of Ted Bryant and, by copies of this resolution to his family, extend heartfelt sympathy to all those who knew and loved him.

Resolution, Condolence

Bryant, Ted