Three county legislators honored
By Dennis Hill
Published in News on June 15, 2016 1:46 PM
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RALEIGH -- Three of Wayne County's late lawmakers were honored by the state Legislature over the past week, with resolutions passed by the General Assembly noting their contributions to the state.
The late Sen. Henson Barnes, the late Sen. John Kerr and the late Sen. Lindsay Warren were each recognized for their leadership.
"They made indelible marks on this state," said Sen. Dan Blue of Wake County on Wednesday. "And all of them were from Wayne County."
Blue called the three men "the league of extraordinary gentlemen."
State Sen. Louis Pate of Mount Olive was effusive in his praise of the three men.
"All three contributed, each in his own way, to the welfare of this state," Pate said. "They are examples of what we should strive to be. All of them were great models for us to follow.
"All three were very interested in economic growth and fought for the little man," Pate added.
Barnes was recognized by the Legislature on Wednesday. Kerr and Warren were honored with resolutions last week.
Barnes served as president pro tem of the state Senate during his time in office. A native of Bladen County, he practiced law in Wayne County after serving as a paratrooper in the Army and graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a member of the state House from 1975-76 and the state Senate from 1977 until 1992.
He died in November of last year.
Sen. Don Davis of Greene County said Barnes "redefined and reshaped" the office of president pro tem and added that his influence would be felt "for many, many years to come."
Kerr was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was born in Richmond, Va., and grew up in Warrenton, North Carolina. He served in the state House from 1987 until 1992 and in the Senate from 1993 until 2008. He practiced law in Wayne County for many years.
A champion of eastern North Carolina, he was a key figure in the improvement of the highway system in this part of the state and its economic development.
He died in May of last year.
Warren was a native of Washington County. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard and also was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Also a longtime Wayne County lawyer, Warren served in the state Senate from 1963 until 1969. He died in April of this year.
Warren was instrumental in restructuring the state court system and was chosen by the governor to lead the state's 400th anniversary celebration.