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Governor Perdue Orders Flags Lowered to Half Staff in Memory of Former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox

Wednesday, June 25, 2003  Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774

 

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue signed an executive order today ordering that flags on all state buildings and grounds be lowered to half-staff to honor the memory of former Georgia Governor Lester Maddox. Flags are to remain at half-staff until sunset on the day his funeral. The text of the executive order is provided below.

FLAGS ON STATE BUILDINGS ORDERED LOWERED TO HALF STAFF

WHEREAS:

Today the State of Georgia mourns the loss of the Honorable Lester Garfield Maddox, the seventy-fifth Governor of our State; and

WHEREAS:

Lester Maddox was born in Atlanta on September 30, 1915; and

WHEREAS:

In 1936, he married the State's future First Lady, the lovely Virginia Cox, and the couple shared over sixty years of wedded bliss and had four children together; and

WHEREAS:

After a series of unsuccessful campaigns, the determined Maddox ran for and was elected the Governor of the State of Georgia in 1966, where he was able to increase funding for the university system as well as teachers' salaries and also led significant reforms in the State healthcare and prison systems; and

WHEREAS:

Following his tenure as Governor, Lester Maddox campaigned for and won the seat of Lieutenant Governor and ably served as President of the Senate from 1971 to 1975, making him the only man in Georgia's history first to be Governor and then Lieutenant Governor.

NOW THEREFORE, IN HONOR AND AS A MARK OF RESPECT FOR THE MEMORY OF GOVERNOR LESTER MADDOX, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, IT IS HEREBY

ORDERED:

That the flag of the United States and the flag of this State be flown at half-staff on all buildings and grounds from this date until sunset on the day of his funeral.

This 25th day of June, 2003

Signed: Sonny Perdue
GOVERNOR