NATCHEZ — Friends, associates and community members gathered at the Natchez Convention Center Saturday evening, all to say the same thing: “Thanks for everything, Bob M.”

What was originally planned to be a small cocktail party honoring former state Sen. Bob M. Dearing’s 32 years work as a state senator eventually expanded into a tribute reception with more than a dozen speakers.

Former Natchez Mayor Tony Byrne said Dearing is known for helping the Natchez area through the years, but not many people realize he is responsible for the casino here. Dearing was the one who introduced the bill allowing riverboat casinos in Mississippi at the request of a developer.

“Bob introduced (the bill) by request, and it took a lot of guts to fulfill that request, because in the areas Bob represented were some very hard-shell religious people,” Byrne said. “The doggone bill passed.”

“That same year, the legislature refused to even allow the people of Mississippi to even vote on a lottery, so I think it is a remarkable thing that it passed.

“The people of the gulf coast and river towns have Bob to thank.”

Dearing’s former colleagues in the senate praised his tenacity in getting things done and his willingness to help others.

“I don’t know that I have ever met a person quite like Bob who knew how to get things done, who knew the rules of the Senate, but didn’t have any problem challenging someone on the floor of the Senate to get something done,” Sen. Willie Simmons said.

Central District Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Lynn Posey echoed Simmons’ remarks, praising Dearing’s willingness to stand by his convictions.

“When Bob Dearing got on a cause, you just might as well pass the thing to get him to shut up,” Posey said. “He was a fighter, and he never backed away from anything he thought was right. If he thought it was right, he was going to do it to the best of his ability, and he did.”