--- title: SR 726. Crook, Jr., Edward "Eddie"; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr726 cite_as: SR 726, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr726 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr726.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr726/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72997 date: 2026-02-09 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/sr725.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr727.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr726.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 726 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-09 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Kenya Wicks - Ed Harbison - Tonya Anderson - Chuck Payne - Michael Rhett - RaShaun Kemp - Sally Harrell - Sonya Halpern - Brian Strickland - Jason T. Dickerson - Derek Mallow - Randal Mangham - Josh McLaurin - Jaha Howard text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR726/2025 upstream_id: 2111552 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - condolence resolution - Georgia Senate - Columbus Georgia - Olympic history - military honors --- # SR 726. Crook, Jr., Edward "Eddie"; condolences ## Text Senate Resolution 726 By: Senators Wicks of the 34th, Harbison of the 15th, Anderson of the 43rd, Payne of the 54th, Rhett of the 33rd and others A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr.; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr.; and WHEREAS, affectionately known as Eddie, Edward Crook, Jr., became Columbus, Georgia's, Olympic gold medalist at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy; and WHEREAS, competing in middleweight boxing, Eddie was part of a historic and dynamic United States Olympic boxing team that included Muhammad Ali and Wilbur McClure; and WHEREAS, he served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty with the United States Army, valiantly and courageously protecting his fellow Americans for 30 years, retiring at the rank of Command Sergeant Major and serving two tours in Vietnam as well as earning the Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star; and WHEREAS, at age 31, Eddie was reportedly the oldest United States Army boxer to ever win an Olympic gold medal, an extraordinary achievement that crowned an already distinguished athletic career; and WHEREAS, following his Olympic triumph, Eddie retired from competitive boxing and continued his service with the United States Army, where his athletic excellence extended to football; and WHEREAS, Eddie supported the boxing program at the Fort Benning Military Base, where he established a training initiative known as the "Smokers"; and WHEREAS, Eddie was an active speaker for the Georgia Olympics, participated in the United States Postal Service speaker program, and contributed to preparations for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta; and WHEREAS, a man of deep and abiding faith, Eddie was an active member of Saint John AME Church in Columbus, Georgia; and WHEREAS, he was blessed with 10 remarkable children, Sandra, Terri, Alison, Edward, Brenda, Jerry, Melinda, Michael, April, and David, and many wonderful grandchildren and great grandchildren; and WHEREAS, in his honor, his family established the Edward and Fannie Crook Jr. Foundation to provide annual scholarships to graduating seniors at Fannie's former high school, Spencer High; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Eddie 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 Edward "Eddie" Crook, 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 Edward "Eddie" Crook, 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 Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr., a Columbus Olympic gold medalist and Army veteran, and directs a copy be sent to his family. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It honors Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr. of Columbus, Georgia, who won an Olympic gold medal in middleweight boxing at the 1960 Rome Olympics as part of a U.S. team that included Muhammad Ali, and who served 30 years in the U.S. Army, including two tours in Vietnam, earning the Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star. The resolution recounts his athletic and military career, his role supporting boxing at Fort Benning and preparations for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, his family and church life, and the scholarship foundation established in his and his wife's names. The Senate formally expresses its regret at his passing and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to his family. ### What it does - Formally honors the life and memory of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr. on behalf of the Georgia Senate. - Expresses the Senate's deepest and most sincere regret at his passing. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to his family. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory change; it is a commemorative resolution only. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the family of Edward "Eddie" Crook, Jr., who will receive a copy, and the Secretary of the Senate, who is tasked with distributing it. It has no regulatory effect on the broader public. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial consequences; its significance is symbolic, formally recording the Georgia Senate's recognition of a Columbus resident's Olympic and military achievements and providing his family with an official memorial document. ### Key provisions - The resolved clause has the Senate join in honoring Crook's life and memory and express regret at his passing. - A further resolved clause authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to his family. - The whereas clauses detail his 1960 Olympic gold medal, 30-year Army career, decorations, family, church membership, and the Edward and Fannie Crook Jr. Foundation scholarship. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-09) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-09) - Sponsors: Kenya Wicks, Ed Harbison, Tonya Anderson, Chuck Payne, Michael Rhett, RaShaun Kemp, Sally Harrell, Sonya Halpern, Brian Strickland, Jason T. Dickerson, Derek Mallow, Randal Mangham, Josh McLaurin, Jaha Howard - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72997 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr726.md?full=1