Please join us from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday at the Natchez Convention Center to honor one of our true native sons, Sen. Bob M. Dearing, for his 32 years of service in the Mississippi State Senate representing the citizens of Adams, Amite, Franklin, Pike and Wilkinson counties and the State of Mississippi.

Light refreshments will be served, and old friends and colleagues will offer tributes on his behalf.

The event is free and open to the public, and will give us a chance to reflect upon his lifetime leadership achievements, which go all the way back to his high school days in Natchez.

A graduate of Natchez High School, Dearing lettered in football, basketball, baseball and volleyball while serving as both the Junior Class President and the Senior Class President.

Upon graduation, he entered Delta State College where he lettered in football and baseball, became vice president of the Student Government Association his junior year and then president of the Student Government Association his senior year.

Subsequently after graduation, he was elected president of both the Delta State Athletic Alumni Association and Alumni Association, and served on the Delta State University Foundation Board.

The Hall of Fame Room at the Dorgan Athletic facility at Delta State’s Parker Field is named for him.

Elected to the Mississippi State Senate in 1980, his apparent leadership skills landed him appointments by various lieutenant governors to chair the following committees: municipalities; forestry; fees, salaries and administration; environmental protection; highways and transportation and oil, gas and other minerals.

He also served as committee vice chairman of labor; corrections, elections, wildlife fisheries and parks and was honored as “Outstanding Legislator of the Year” by the National Humane Society.

Throughout his 32 years serving in the Senate, he introduced many bills that became law, including:

• The elimination of the state income tax on retirement income

• Gaming boats on the Mississippi River

• Municipal home rule under certain conditions

• Restrict out-of-state shipment of game animals, birds and fish

• Special car tag for surviving spouse of POW and Congressional Medal of Honor recipients

• Clarify armed forces services toward benefits in certain city fire & police retirement

• The un-remarried surviving spouse no longer has to file for homestead exemption

• 65 and older no longer has to file for homestead exemption

• Regulate licensed pawn shops

• The Vision 21 Highway Program

• The Mississippi Pet Protection Act

Quite obviously, as one of Natchez’s leading citizens, he deserves our admiration and thanks for a job well done over the years, so please take time on Saturday to stop by and visit with one of Natchez’s “very own.”

 

Terry Trovato is a member of the Committee to Honor Sen. Bob M. Dearing.