April 18, 2023
Greetings Everyone,
The 2023 Legislative Memorial Service was held last Sunday, April 16th in the House Chambers of the state Capitol. This is a great and wonderful tradition of the Montana Legislature. Former members of the House and Senate who have passed away during the interims between sessions are eulogized by current and past members of the Legislature. Last Sunday, thirty three (33) individuals who died since the 2021 session ended were memorialized by their colleagues. It is quite amazing to sit and listen to the brief biographies of each of these departed legislators. The lives they lived, the trials they endured, the things they did, and their legislative service make for quite a set of stories. Each one of them is worthy of a book. They are true cross section of Montana: farmers & ranchers, homemakers, a radio station owner, retired federal employees, attorneys, cowboys and cowgirls, teachers, businessmen and business women, labor leaders, Native American citizens. Their families come from all over the state to this Service every two years. The proceedings are enrolled in the Journal of the House and Senate, and will become part of the official record of the 68th Legislative Session.
Our Helena area legislators were very much involved in the Memorial Service. Senator Mary Ann Dunwell gave a moving tribute to Billings Rep. Charles ‘Chuck’ Cozzens. Rep. Melissa Romano eulogized Rep. Marjorie ‘Marge’ Fisher, and Senator David ’Spike’ Fuller. Senator Janet Ellis did the same for Rep. Harold Paulsen. Former Rep. Scott Mendenhall gave a very moving tribute to Rep. Bob Marks, a former Speaker of the House and our Jefferson county neighbor from Clancy. Following the Service, the Legislative Spouses host a reception for friends and families in the Old Supreme Court Chambers in the Capitol. The spouses bring out the good, polished silver service for the reception. They make cookies, candies, fruit plates and punch. It is altogether an elegant, stately, very meaningful event.
The Memorial Service is a clue that the legislative session is nearing an end. Another sure sign is the coming of spring, the buds on the trees and the grass poking out of the ground. A House member from eastern Montana summed it up very well for me last Sunday: “it’s time to get home and get a crop in the ground.”
It’s darn near impossible not to get get overwhelmed by the day to day battles that go on all day every day at the sessions. Everyone involved will most likely enjoy the thrill of victory, and the know agony of defeat. Sometimes both in a single day. The Memorial Service affords folks a longer view, a wider perspective, a view of our state from the 50,000 foot level. The Legislature has convened every two years despite wars, depressions, droughts, and other events happening in the wide world outside our borders. The people’s business gets done despite all the uncertainty, and despite the vicissitudes of the times in which the serving legislators find themselves. All this is dear to us in Helena, the capital city.
We have invited our Helena area legislators to Hometown Helena on May 18th to share their experiences and perspectives on the 68th Legislative session with us. We’re really looking forward to hearing from them, and we’re looking forward to thanking them for their service.
Meanwhile, we have another great program lined up for this week (see below). AWARE has been serving people with developmental disabilities since deinstitutionalization of certain state facilities in the mid 1970s. AWARE’s Executive Director Matt Bugni will be on hand to give us an update on the fine work this good organization is doing.
We’re looking forward to seeing you this Thursday in person at the Montana Club, or on the TV screen via the Zoom.
Jim Smith
406-949-1002
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