Former state Senate Majority Leader dies

Held Majority Leader title as a member of both parties

Email | Print By A.C. Kleinheider

09-05-2008 2:04 PM — Former majority leader of the Tennessee Senate, Milton Hugh Hamilton Jr died today at Centennial Hospital in Nashville after a long illness. He was 75.

First entering public service as a member of the Union City school board, Hamilton was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1964. Switching over to the state Senate in 1968, Hamilton became the Majority Leader in 1977, a title he would hold for 10 years. Hamilton chaired both the powerful ways and means committee as well as the calendar committee during his tenure.

In 1987, Hamilton led a faction of nine Democratic senators who joined with Republican Senators to successfully preserve the state Senate Speakership for Lt. Gov. John Wilder after the Democratic Caucus had nominated current Secretary of State Riley Darnell for the post.

In 1995, after Republican Don Sundquist had been elected Governor and GOP representation in the state senate increased to 15, Hamilton along with another Democratic senator switched parties giving Republicans their first majority in the Tennessee Senate since Reconstruction.

Hamilton was then elected majority leader, once again, this time as a Republican. A year later, he retired from elected public service and was named commissioner of Environment and Conservation by Gov. Don Sundquist.

Justin Wilson, former deputy governor under Sundquist, remembers Hamilton fondly.

"Uncle Milty, as we all called him, could break down the most complex problems into understandable bits. He would ask questions that would make the answer obvious to anyone. Then he gave others credit for solving the problem," explained Wilson.

Hamilton married the former Mary Tisdale “Dale” White in 1953. She died March 12, 2007. Hamilton is survived by sons David and Milton, daughter Ann, and sister, Alice Reid. Funeral services for Hamilton will be 3:30 p.m. Sunday at White-Ranson Funeral Home, in Union City with visitation there from 4-8 p.m. Saturday.

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