Georgia General Assembly · Full text

HR 75: Ham, Phillip Benson, Sr.; condolences

Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action January 28, 2025 · Passed

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House Resolution 75

By: Representatives Dickey of the 134th, Herring of the 145th, and Crowe of the 118th

A RESOLUTION

Honoring the life and memory of Phillip Benson Ham Sr.; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Phillip Benson Ham Sr. on January 11, 2025; and

WHEREAS, Phillip Benson Ham Sr. was born on January 6, 1934, in Smarr, Georgia, a beloved son of John Wesley Ham Sr. and Laura Belle Benson Ham; and

WHEREAS, he dedicated over six decades to his legal career in Forsyth, Georgia, serving as president of the Flint Judicial Circuit Bar Association and as part of the Board of Governors of the Georgia Bar Association as well as playing an instrumental role in the creation of the Towaliga Judicial Circuit; and

WHEREAS, he further served the State of Georgia as a state representative for 10 years, and during his tenure as vice-chair of the State Board of Elections, he championed education reform and economic development in Monroe County; and

WHEREAS, during his 13 years as chairman of the Monroe County Board of Education, he guided the county through desegregation, secured funding for a new high school, and implemented higher salary supplements to attract and retain top teachers; and

WHEREAS, he additionally served as president of the Monroe County Community Action Committee and director of the Monroe County Economic Development Authority, bringing major projects such as Plant Scherer and the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to Monroe County; and

WHEREAS, Phillip Benson Ham Sr. was a leader in rural electrification and agricultural advocacy, serving as board chairman of the Central Georgia Electric Membership Cooperative, president of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation, and legislative director of the Georgia Farm Bureau; and

WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Phillip Benson Ham Sr. will long be remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Phillip Benson Ham Sr. and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Phillip Benson Ham Sr.