---
title: SR 713. Perry, Jr., Schley Louis; condolences
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr713
cite_as: SR 713, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr713
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr713.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr713/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72901
date: 2026-02-06
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr712.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr714.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 94
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr713.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 713
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-02-06
last_action: Senate Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Sam Watson
  - Russ Goodman
  - Larry Walker
  - Lee Anderson
  - Freddie Sims
  - Drew Echols
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR713/2025
upstream_id: 2110009
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - Georgia Senate resolution
  - agriculture
  - condolence resolution
  - Colquitt County
---

# SR 713. Perry, Jr., Schley Louis; condolences

## Text

Senate Resolution 713
By: Senators Watson of the 11th, Goodman of the 8th, Walker III of the 20th, Anderson of
the 24th, Sims of the 12th and others
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and memory of Schley Louis Perry, Jr.; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens
with the passing of Schley Louis "Big Louie" Perry, Jr., on November 26, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Schley Louis "Big Louis" Perry, Jr., was born on March 10, 1939, on
Pineywoods Farms in Colquitt County, Georgia; and
WHEREAS, he lived and worked for his entire life at Pineywoods Farms, which is a Georgia
Centennial Farm and was established in 1830; and
WHEREAS, his only time away from Pineywoods Farms was while attaining degrees from
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and later the University of Georgia; and
WHEREAS, he returned to his home to become the fifth generation to operate Pineywoods
Farms, while later raising the sixth and seventh generations as a part of the Centennial Farm's
family history; and
WHEREAS, he was united in love and marriage to his wife, Rebecca Perry, and was blessed
with four remarkable children, Laura, Schley Louis, Jonathan, and Amanda Perry; and six
wonderful grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, "Big Louie" Perry was a passionate farmer who was a continuous member of
the Georgia Farm Bureau since he was 13 years old in addition to being a member of the
Colquitt County Farm Bureau's Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, his passion for agriculture led him to assist his fellow farmers by participating
in research trials for crops and livestock conducted by the University of Georgia Extension;
and
WHEREAS, he became a tireless advocate for agriculture and held many respected positions
including, but not limited to, chair of the Georgia Cotton Commission, board member of the
North American Limousin Foundation, and member of the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association; and
WHEREAS, he diligently advised numerous elected officials on the importance of Georgia's
farms and farmers including, but not limited to, Saxby Chambliss, Sanford Bishop, Johnny
Isakson, Jimmy Carter, Sonny Perdue, and Roy Barnes; and
WHEREAS, his contributions to agricultural research, political advocacy, and inclusion in
the industry left a legacy felt by generations of farmers across Georgia and rural communities
nationwide; and
WHEREAS, his actions earned him numerous honors and awards, including, but not limited,
to the ABAC Family Legacy Award, the Master Farmer Award, and the Centennial Family
Farm Award; and
WHEREAS, he extended his efforts beyond agriculture to support his community through
his membership with the Colquitt Regional Medical Center's Foundation, Moultrie-Colquitt
County Chamber of Commerce, and the Pineland School Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, he also supported subsequent generations through scholarships and farm study
opportunities for both Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia
including the Pineywoods Farm Scholarship; and
WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Schley Louis "Big Louie" Perry, Jr., 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 SENATE that the members of this body
join in honoring the life and memory of Schley Louis Perry, Jr., and express their deepest and
most sincere regret at his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of
Schley Louis Perry, Jr.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia Senate resolution honors the life of Schley Louis Perry, Jr., a longtime Colquitt County farmer and agricultural advocate who died in November 2025, and directs a copy be sent to his family.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia Senate marking the death of Schley Louis 'Big Louie' Perry, Jr., who ran Pineywoods Farms in Colquitt County for decades and was active in Georgia agriculture, including leadership roles with the Georgia Cotton Commission and Farm Bureau. It recounts his life, family, and community involvement.
The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply expresses the Senate's condolences and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to Perry's family.

### What it does

- Formally expresses the Georgia Senate's condolences on the death of Schley Louis Perry, Jr.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Perry's family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulation; it is a ceremonial statement only.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names the family of Schley Louis Perry, Jr., and references Georgia agricultural organizations he was involved with, such as the Georgia Cotton Commission and Georgia Farm Bureau. It does not impose obligations on the general public.

### Why it matters

The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally; its practical outcome is a formal Senate tribute and a distributed copy given to the Perry family as a mark of official recognition.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses recount Perry's life, farming career at Pineywoods Farms, and his roles in agricultural organizations.
- The first resolving clause has the Senate join in honoring his memory and express regret at his passing.
- The second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to his family.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-02-06)
- Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-06)
- Sponsors: Sam Watson, Russ Goodman, Larry Walker, Lee Anderson, Freddie Sims, Drew Echols
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72901

> The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr713.md?full=1
