Steve Flowers: We lost some good ones in 2021
As has been my custom for 18 years, I like for my yearend column to be a remembrance of Alabama political figures who have passed away during the year. We lost some good ones this year. We lost our oldest past governor, John Patterson in June. Governor Patterson passed away at age 99 at his ancestral home in rural Tallapoosa County surrounded by his family. Patterson was Governor from 1959-1963. He defeated George Wallace in the 1958 Governor’s Race, which featured a field of 14 candidates. He is the only man to beat George Wallace in a governor’s race. Patterson was Attorney General of Alabama prior to being elected Governor. He subsequently was appointed to the Court of Criminal Appeals by Wallace and was reelected numerous times and retired as a Judge of the Alabama Court of Appeals. He was a treasure trove of Alabama political history. He was Governor during a turbulent time in Alabama history. Former Alabama Attorney General Jimmy Evans died in February at 81. Evans was a native of Montgomery and was Montgomery County District Attorney prior to being elected Attorney General. Retired Alfa lobbyist Milton Parsons passed away in March at 91. Milton was renowned on Goat Hill as a straight arrow and straight shooter. He was an honest, trustworthy, Christian gentleman. He was Alfa’s chief lobbyist for 50 years. He was a devoted family man and devout Christian. Former Troy mayor, Jimmy Lunsford died in May at 78. He was mayor of Troy for 30 years. Economic development was his forte. He was a tremendous steward of the city’s finances. He left Troy in good shape financially. Former Mobile congressman Sonny Callahan passed away at 88 in late June. He was one of a long line of popular and effective congressmen from the first district. The list includes Frank Boykin, Jack Edwards, Jo Bonner, Bradley Byrne, and Sonny. Congressman Callahan served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his two decades in Congress, he served in the Alabama House of Representatives and then six years in the State Senate. He was successful in the trucking business in conjunction with his legislative and congressional career. State Representative Thad McClammy of Montgomery passed away at 79 in August. McClammy represented parts of Montgomery County for 27 years. I had the privilege to serve with Thad in the legislature. He was a real gentleman. His word was as good as gold. He had a tremendous turnout for his funeral. State Senator Kirk Hatcher did a fabulous job singing two favorite hymns. Former State Legislator and longtime Geneva County Probate Judge Harold Wise died in August at 96 years old. He lived an amazing and colorful life. He was a loved and respected Geneva County political figure. He was the uncle to Supreme Court Justice Kelli Wise. Kelli adored him. He was her mentor. She says he sparked her love of politics and her desire to have a career in public service. Retired Winston-Marion County Circuit Judge Bobby Aderholt passed away in September at 85. He was a 50-year public servant, as well as lay minister. People say he probably married or buried half the folks in and around Haleyville and that part of Northwest Alabama. There was a tremendous turnout for his funeral. He was revered. State Senator Greg Reed sang at his funeral. Judge Aderholt was the father of our senior congressman, Robert Aderholt who is completing his 25th year in Congress. Former State Senator Jim Preuitt of Talladega died in September at 86. He was also a State Representative and Probate Judge of Talladega County. He was a successful businessman and family man. We lost some good ones this year. Happy New Year! Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama Newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Steve Flowers: Jim Preuitt
Jim Preuitt, a legendary House member, State Senator, and Probate Judge of Talladega County passed away in September at age 86. Jim was one of my best legislative buddies. We came to the legislature together in 1982 and became fast friends. We became seat mates in the House, and we were inseparable during our entire first four-year term (1982 -1986). Our friendship was forged by our relationship with Gov. George Wallace. The legendary governor was in his last term. Wallace let it be known that Jim and I were his favorite first-year legislators. Jim was a successful car dealer in Talladega and had been a big supporter of Wallace in all of his previous campaigns for governor. I first met Wallace when I was a young teenage Page in the legislature. Ironically, 20 years later, I was Wallace’s representative because I had his home county of Barbour in my district, which placed me in a select category with Wallace, similar to Jim. Wallace let it be known that Jim Preuitt and I were going to receive deferential treatment. The governor controlled the legislature and even chose the speaker, as well as deciding who served on which committees. Prior to the 1983 organizational session, rumors swirled around Capitol Hill that Wallace had two favorite freshmen legislators. When the committee assignments were released, the rumors were founded. Jim and I were the only freshmen assigned to the powerful Rules Committee. When the House seating arrangements were revealed, we were seated beside each other in prime spots on the floor. We bonded. Jim and I became allies of Alabama Farmers Federation (Alfa). We would go to supper every night with Milton Parsons, the veteran chief lobbyist for Alfa. We would usually dine at the politically famous Elite Restaurant. Jim smoked a pipe. I love the smell of quality tobacco pipe smoke. He would smoke it all day at his desk then also at the Elite. He was a quiet, dignified, gentleman, who chose his words carefully. He exuded quality and class. Even though he had humble roots, he had the demeanor of someone born into royalty. Jim Preuitt was born in July 1935 near Moulton in Lawrence County. He was the oldest of seven sons. His father was a sharecropper. Jim was determined to have a better life. Like Bear Bryant, the son of a sharecropper in Moro Bottom Fordyce, Arkansas, would say when asked why he worked so hard to succeed, “I did not want to spend my life plowing someone else’s land behind an old mule.” As a teenager, Jim met the love of his life, Rona Jane Millsap, on a school bus. They were married soon thereafter. She was truly his love and his best friend. Jim and Rona had been married 66 years when he passed away in September. He was successful as a businessman and politician. However, his greatest and most satisfying aspect of his life was as a family man. He had two beautiful daughters, Lynne Stanford and Leigh Leak. Jim adored his grandchildren. In 1968, at the age of 33, Jim acquired his first car dealership. The dealership was in Talladega. Jim packed up Rona and his two young daughters and moved to Talladega where he lived the rest of his 50 years on earth. He was one of the most successful businessmen in Talladega County. If we were in Session in October, I would look over at Jim and kiddingly say to him, “Well, the Special Education Fund is okay now, you have paid your Income and Property taxes.” Jim served only that one term in the House (1982-1986). He was then elected to the State Senate in 1986 and quickly became a leader in the upper chamber. After eight years in the Senate, he left to run successfully for Probate Judge in 1992. He served his entire 6-year term in this mundane, mostly administrative post then returned to the Senate in 1998, where he became an even more powerful Senator. Jim was a force in the Senate. He chaired the Senate Rules Committee. If Jim gave you his word, you could take it to the bank. His word was his bond. Jim served 30 years in the legislature. As I am writing this in my office, I am looking at a picture of Jim and me standing together, arms embraced in the halls of the legislature taken a few years ago. It is front and center on a wall of pictures of past and present Alabama political legends. I will miss my old friend. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
