Difference between revisions of "George Busbee"
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Busbee was born in Vienna in Dooly County in south central Georgia and attended Georgia Military College and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College]] before joining the [[United States Navy|Navy]]. After his discharge, he completed his education at the [[University of Georgia School of Law]] in [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]], where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Phi Kappa Literary Society, having procured a bachelor's degree in 1949 and a law degree in 1952. | Busbee was born in Vienna in Dooly County in south central Georgia and attended Georgia Military College and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College]] before joining the [[United States Navy|Navy]]. After his discharge, he completed his education at the [[University of Georgia School of Law]] in [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]], where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Phi Kappa Literary Society, having procured a bachelor's degree in 1949 and a law degree in 1952. | ||
| − | Establishing a law practice in [[Albany, Georgia|Albany]], Busbee served nine terms in the [[Georgia General Assembly|Georgia House of Representatives]] and was floor leader for Governor [[Carl Sanders]]. In 1967, Busbee was one of thirty | + | Establishing a law practice in [[Albany, Georgia|Albany]], Busbee served nine two-year terms in the [[Georgia General Assembly|Georgia House of Representatives]] and was floor leader for Governor [[Carl Sanders]]. In 1967, Busbee was one of thirty in the legislature who voted for the Republican [[U.S. Representative]] Howard Hollis "Bo: Callaway, Sr. (1927-2014) in the disputed 1966 gubernatorial race, rather than the Democratic nominee Lester Maddox of Atlanta, then a [[Segregation|segregationist]]. Acting under the 1824 Georgia Constitution, the legislators chose Maddox, 182 to 66, a choice affirmed in 1927 by the [[United States Supreme Court]].<ref>Billy Hathorn, "The Frustration of Opportunity: Georgia Republicans and the Election of 1966", ''[[Atlanta History: A Journal of Georgia and the South]]'', XXX (Winter 1987-1988), p. 47</ref> |
| − | In 1974, Busbee won the Democratic [[nomination]] for governor in [[Jimmy Carter]]'s final year in that office. In the party runoff, he defeated, 551,106 (59.9 percent) to 369,608 (40.1 percent), former governor and sitting [[Lieutenant Governor of Georgia|Lieutenant Governor]] Lester Maddox, the man whom Busbee had voted against in the legislative election for governor some seven years earlier. In the fall of 1974, Busbee handily defeated [[Ronnie Thompson (Georgia politician)|Ronnie Thompson]], the first Republican to have served as [[mayor]] of | + | In 1974, Busbee won the Democratic [[nomination]] for governor in [[Jimmy Carter]]'s final year in that office. In the party runoff, he defeated, 551,106 (59.9 percent) to 369,608 (40.1 percent), former governor and sitting [[Lieutenant Governor of Georgia|Lieutenant Governor]] Lester Maddox, the man whom Busbee had voted against in the legislative election for governor some seven years earlier. In the fall of 1974, Busbee handily defeated [[Ronnie Thompson (Georgia politician)|Ronnie Thompson]], the first Republican to have served as [[mayor]] of Macon. In 1976, voters approved a wholesale revision of the Georgia Constitution, which included a provision that allowed Busbee to become the state's first governor to serve two consecutive four-year terms. He won election to his second term in 1978 with an easy victory over [[moderate Republican]] [[Rodney Mims Cook, Sr.|Rodney Cook]] of Atlanta.<ref>[http://www.newgeorgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?path=/GovernmentPolitics/Politics/PoliticalFigures&id=h-595 ''New Georgia Encyclopedia'' profile of George Busbee]</ref> |
After his service as Governor, Busbee joined the Atlanta law firm [[King & Spalding]] and moved to the Atlanta suburb of [[Duluth, Georgia|Duluth]]. | After his service as Governor, Busbee joined the Atlanta law firm [[King & Spalding]] and moved to the Atlanta suburb of [[Duluth, Georgia|Duluth]]. | ||
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Busbee was married to the former Mary Elizabeth "Mary Beth" Talbot (1927-2012), originally from [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in north [[Louisiana]]. The sixth child of a country physician, Dr. and Mrs. B. H. Talbot, she graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] with a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in biological sciences and also did graduate work in pathology at [[Charity Hospital (New Orleans)|Charity Hospital]] in [[New Orleans]]. She moved to Georgia to work as a medical technician at Athens General Hospital in Athens, where she met George Busbee, then a law student. In 1952, they relocated to Albany, where they remained until his inauguration as governor in January 1975. As First Lady of Georgia, Mrs. Busbee was known for her emphasis on volunteerism. In 1985, she co-authored a cookbook, ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,'' about favorite recipes and guests served at the governor's mansion during her eight years there. Mrs. Busbee was a 40-year cancer survivor.<ref name=mbbusbee/> | Busbee was married to the former Mary Elizabeth "Mary Beth" Talbot (1927-2012), originally from [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in north [[Louisiana]]. The sixth child of a country physician, Dr. and Mrs. B. H. Talbot, she graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] with a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in biological sciences and also did graduate work in pathology at [[Charity Hospital (New Orleans)|Charity Hospital]] in [[New Orleans]]. She moved to Georgia to work as a medical technician at Athens General Hospital in Athens, where she met George Busbee, then a law student. In 1952, they relocated to Albany, where they remained until his inauguration as governor in January 1975. As First Lady of Georgia, Mrs. Busbee was known for her emphasis on volunteerism. In 1985, she co-authored a cookbook, ''Guess Who's Coming to Dinner,'' about favorite recipes and guests served at the governor's mansion during her eight years there. Mrs. Busbee was a 40-year cancer survivor.<ref name=mbbusbee/> | ||
| − | The Busbees had four children, Beth Kindt and husband John, Jan Curtis and husband Carlton, George D. Busbee, Jr., and wife Tammy, and Jeff Busbee and wife Kelly. After the governorship, the Busbees started a church in their home while they resided in Duluth. That congregation is now the Parkway Baptist Church.<ref name=mbbusbee>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?pid=156251515#fbLoggedOut|title=Mary Beth Busbee|publisher='' | + | The Busbees had four children, Beth Kindt and husband John, Jan Curtis and husband Carlton, George D. Busbee, Jr., and wife Tammy, and Jeff Busbee and wife Kelly. After the governorship, the Busbees started a church in their home while they resided in Duluth. That congregation is now the Parkway Baptist Church.<ref name=mbbusbee>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?pid=156251515#fbLoggedOut|title=Mary Beth Busbee|publisher=''Atlanta Journal-Constitution,'' March 5, 2012|accessdate=April 19, 2013}}</ref> |
Busbee died of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] at the [[Savannah International Airport]] in [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]]. George Busbee Parkway and Busbee Drive in the [[Town Center at Cobb|Town Center Mall]] area of [[Cobb County, Georgia|Cobb County]] are named in his honor. | Busbee died of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] at the [[Savannah International Airport]] in [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]]. George Busbee Parkway and Busbee Drive in the [[Town Center at Cobb|Town Center Mall]] area of [[Cobb County, Georgia|Cobb County]] are named in his honor. | ||
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== References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 01:37, September 12, 2021
| George Dekle Busbee, Sr. | |
 | |
| In office January 14, 1975 – January 11, 1983 | |
| [[Lieutenant 77th Governor of Georgia|Lieutenant]] | Zell Miller |
|---|---|
| Preceded by | Jimmy Carter |
| Succeeded by | Joe Frank Harris |
| Born | August 7, 1927 Vienna, Dooly County, Georgia |
| Died | July 16, 2004 (aged 76) Savannah International Airport in Savannah, Georgia |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Elizabeth Talbot Busbee (married 1949-2004, his death) |
| Children | Beth B. Kindt Jan B. Curtis |
| Alma mater | Georgia Military College Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College University of Georgia (Bachelor's and law degrees) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
Military Service
| |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
George Dekle Busbee, Sr. (August 7, 1927 – July 16, 2004), was the 77th Governor of his native Georgia, the first governor to serve two consecutive terms from 1975-1983. He succeeded Jimmy Carter the year before Carter was elected as U.S. President and defeated Lester Maddox to win the 1974 Democratic gubernatorial nominee. He then swamped Republican Ronnie Thompson in the general election.
Life and career
Busbee was born in Vienna in Dooly County in south central Georgia and attended Georgia Military College and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College]] before joining the Navy. After his discharge, he completed his education at the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and the Phi Kappa Literary Society, having procured a bachelor's degree in 1949 and a law degree in 1952.
Establishing a law practice in Albany, Busbee served nine two-year terms in the Georgia House of Representatives and was floor leader for Governor Carl Sanders. In 1967, Busbee was one of thirty in the legislature who voted for the Republican U.S. Representative Howard Hollis "Bo: Callaway, Sr. (1927-2014) in the disputed 1966 gubernatorial race, rather than the Democratic nominee Lester Maddox of Atlanta, then a segregationist. Acting under the 1824 Georgia Constitution, the legislators chose Maddox, 182 to 66, a choice affirmed in 1927 by the United States Supreme Court.[1]
In 1974, Busbee won the Democratic nomination for governor in Jimmy Carter's final year in that office. In the party runoff, he defeated, 551,106 (59.9 percent) to 369,608 (40.1 percent), former governor and sitting Lieutenant Governor Lester Maddox, the man whom Busbee had voted against in the legislative election for governor some seven years earlier. In the fall of 1974, Busbee handily defeated Ronnie Thompson, the first Republican to have served as mayor of Macon. In 1976, voters approved a wholesale revision of the Georgia Constitution, which included a provision that allowed Busbee to become the state's first governor to serve two consecutive four-year terms. He won election to his second term in 1978 with an easy victory over moderate Republican Rodney Cook of Atlanta.[2]
After his service as Governor, Busbee joined the Atlanta law firm King & Spalding and moved to the Atlanta suburb of Duluth.
Busbee was married to the former Mary Elizabeth "Mary Beth" Talbot (1927-2012), originally from Ruston in north Louisiana. The sixth child of a country physician, Dr. and Mrs. B. H. Talbot, she graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences and also did graduate work in pathology at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. She moved to Georgia to work as a medical technician at Athens General Hospital in Athens, where she met George Busbee, then a law student. In 1952, they relocated to Albany, where they remained until his inauguration as governor in January 1975. As First Lady of Georgia, Mrs. Busbee was known for her emphasis on volunteerism. In 1985, she co-authored a cookbook, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, about favorite recipes and guests served at the governor's mansion during her eight years there. Mrs. Busbee was a 40-year cancer survivor.[3]
The Busbees had four children, Beth Kindt and husband John, Jan Curtis and husband Carlton, George D. Busbee, Jr., and wife Tammy, and Jeff Busbee and wife Kelly. After the governorship, the Busbees started a church in their home while they resided in Duluth. That congregation is now the Parkway Baptist Church.[3]
Busbee died of a heart attack at the Savannah International Airport in Savannah. George Busbee Parkway and Busbee Drive in the Town Center Mall area of Cobb County are named in his honor.
References
- ↑ Billy Hathorn, "The Frustration of Opportunity: Georgia Republicans and the Election of 1966", Atlanta History: A Journal of Georgia and the South, XXX (Winter 1987-1988), p. 47
- ↑ New Georgia Encyclopedia profile of George Busbee
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mary Beth Busbee. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 5, 2012. Retrieved on April 19, 2013.