Two former members of the Mississippi House of Representatives passed away this week.
Ed Perry was found dead at his Oxford home at the age of 76 on Tuesday. Perry served in the House from 1968 to 2000, and each year, he would recite the “Whiskey Speech” to his colleagues. The speech was written in the 1950s by Rep. Noah Sweat, and it focuses on politicians’ ability to argue both sides of an issue.
“So sorry to hear of the passing of Ed Perry. I served with him in the House and always admired his passion and leadership. He will be dearly missed,” Governor Bryant said.
Perry chaired several committees during his time in the legislature, including Appropriations and Judiciary A.
Rep. Robert Vince also passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88. Vince served District 99 from 1980-2004, and Governor Bryant posted the following tweet in his memory.
We lost another fine man with the passing of Robert Vince. I was honored to serve with him in the House of Representatives. He served there for 24 years. pic.twitter.com/EFDWAN6gKq
— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) January 16, 2019
In addition to serving on numerous committees, Vince chaired the House Ethics committee during his final session.
