July 1, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 121 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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HONORING GEORGIA STATE SENATOR JACK HILL; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 121
(House of Representatives - July 01, 2020)
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[Pages H2988-H2989] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING GEORGIA STATE SENATOR JACK HILL The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter) for 5 minutes. Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember and to honor the life of one of my mentors and my very good friend, Georgia State Senator Jack Hill, who passed away on April 6 at the age of 75. I sat next to Jack in the Georgia State Senate for 5 years, and he was truly a mentor to me. Through listening and interacting with him over the course of those years up until his death, I understood what it really meant to be a dedicated public servant. Jack lived his entire life in Reidsville, and his love for his hometown and community was evident throughout his life. After he graduated from Reidsville High School and Georgia Southern University, he came back to his hometown and went into the grocery business as owner and operator of Hill Shopping Center. In addition to running his own successful business, Jack still found time to serve in the Georgia Air National Guard for over 33 years, both as a unit commander and a State inspector general. He was appointed to the board of directors at The Tattnall Bank in the early 1980s before heeding the call to public service. In 1990, he ran for and won his first term as Georgia State Senator for the Fourth District of Georgia. Throughout Jack's 30 years of steadfast service in representing the Fourth District, he served on many prestigious committees, including the Senate Rules Committee, where he was vice chairman, and chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Both Jack and I liked to write columns. We would write weekly columns. Jack always chided me and said mine were very chatty. I always chided him and said his were very nerdy. {time} 0930 He was a numbers cruncher. He knew the budget like no one in the State of Georgia knew it. He was always the last to leave the capitol each day because of how dedicated he was to serve the people of our State. Because of Jack's leadership, my colleagues and I were always driven to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and uphold our mission in all that we did to serve Georgians to the best of our abilities. Jack was a man of overwhelming integrity, compassion, and humility. He was a true statesman. While he certainly worked hard to be selected for this role, he never used his prestigious title to gain praise or acknowledgment. He was one of the few people who taught me the importance of placing people over the politics and praise. If anyone ever needed to talk to him, he was always available and listened to what you had to say no matter who you were. Jack also taught me the importance of humility and keeping a common, steady hand at the helm. I will always remember his immense dedication to everyone he interacted with. He made a huge difference in the lives of countless students, in the reputation of the university system, and in the holistic improvement of the State of Georgia. Jack's legacy will always be remembered, and those he knew will never forget the impact he had on the lives he touched. It is for these reasons that all 14 Georgia Members of the U.S. House, including myself, signed proposed legislation to name a post office building in Jack's hometown of Reidsville after him. Naming a post office after him will honor his remarkable contributions to our State for years to come, and we will work to preserve his legacy of public service for his fellow Georgians. Jack's advice has stayed with me throughout the years, and he helped make me the person I am today. I am forever grateful to have known Jack Hill, and I will never forget him. His family, friends, and those he worked with will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers as we all mourn the death of a great Georgian and a great American. Honoring the Life of Benjamin Tarbutton, Jr. Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Mr. Benjamin Tarbutton, Jr., who passed away [[Page H2989]] peacefully on June 9, 2020, at the age of 90. A lifelong resident of Sandersville, Georgia, Mr. Tarbutton's ambition started at an earlier age when he earned the honor of Eagle Scout. He even attended the Boy Scout International Jamboree in Paris, France, in 1947. Mr. Tarbutton went on to attend Oxford College and graduated from Emory University in 1951 with a BA in economics. Following his studies, Mr. Tarbutton served our Nation in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1955 and was a veteran of the Korean war. When he returned home, he began his lifelong career with the Sandersville Railroad Company. Mr. Tarbutton served as a director of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, which is now 127 years old. He dedicated 65 years to the company until the time of his death, serving as president, vice president, and director. His strong commitment to the railroad industry stretched beyond Sandersville Railroad Company. Mr. Tarbutton served as the director of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and founder and president of the Georgia Railroad Association. While he found great success in business, Mr. Tarbutton is best known for his commitment to his family, his church, and his community and the State of Georgia. He will always be remembered for his tireless work to bring new industry and jobs to Sandersville. As part of this work, he served as the director of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce for many years and was honored as Washington County's Citizen of the Year. But most importantly, Mr. Tarbutton was a family man. His friends and family remember him as a wonderful storyteller who entertained everyone around him with his colorful tales. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Tarbutton family, especially his widow, Nancy, with a debt of gratitude for sharing Mr. Ben with all of us. ____________________
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