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Sunday, January 8, 1989 ■ The Clarion-Ledger/ Jackson Daily News ■ 1<3I
Mississippi State University Library
Sen. John C. Stennis is joined by Sen. Mike Mansfield, left, and Sen. Stuart Symington for a Life magazine portrait on Jan. 13, 1958.
Remembrances from:
Thad Cochran
Forty-one years ago, when John Stennis won his seat in the Senate in a special election, one editorial writer said:
“Mississippi has made a wise choice. It has elected a thoughtful, purposeful, and highminded man to the United States Senate. He is not afraid of hard work and his ability to form lasting friendships will stand him in Cochran good stead in Washington. In his election, the state has well earned the plaudits of the nation.”
John Stennis soon became a respected Member of this body. He didn’t try to shine his light too brightly at first. He did his work, and he did it well. He accepted the assignments he was given without complaint or protest. He made a point of getting along with others and he showed by his actions and his demeanor his respect for the Senate as an institution.
Better assignments came with time, and he became chairman of important subcommittees and then full committees with important jurisdiction: Standards and Conduct, Armed Services, Appropriations. Very few of those who have served here will have matched the record or enjoyed the reputation of John C. Stennis. He has been a senator’s senator, a person admired and appreciated by all who have had the privilege to serve with him.
I thank him for his many courtesies to me and for his genuine friendship.
But I also thank him for his example. No one could have a finer role model than the senior senator from Mississippi, John C. Stennis.
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Thad Cochran has represented Mississippi as a Republican in the U.S. Senate since 1978.
Mississippi State University Library
Sen. John C. Stennis stands in front of his Dekalb home.
Remembrances from:
John Callon
During his long tenure in the U.S. Senate, Sen. John Stennis was like an immense magnet always lifting upward the national reputation of the state of Mis-sisssippi.
When dark days prevailed and unfavorable publicity haunted us, the shining image of this highly respected U.S. senator always attracted healthy attention.	Callon
Sen. Stennis is an honest, fair, honorable, respected, intelligent, hard-working, dedicated, loyal and patriotic person. This man of stature and vision will stand as a model for future generations of young men and women who serve our nation.
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John C. Calion is chairman of the board of Callon Petroleum Co. in Natchez.
Remembrances from:
Ray Strother
One day I was standing in the hallway talking to the senator. He had never gotten accustomed to the new familiarity of the ’80s. While we were standing there, a man walked by Sen. Dennis De-concini and said, “Hi, Dennis.”
Stennis turned to me and said, “Did you hear that? He actually called him by his first name.”
On another occasion I was making a five-minute film for him to show that he was still viable and active. I told him I wanted to get other senators from neighboring states to give testimonials for him. He said that was fine. I called Sens. (Lloyd) Bentsen, (Sam) Nunn, Bennett Johnston and (Russell) Long of Louisiana. That morning I met Sen. Stennis and we were going through the schedule and I told him I had gotten all of the other senators to agree to do the film.
He asked, “Sir, who called these senators?”
I said I did.
He said, “You called them personally? Oh, sir, I’m greatly disappointed. That is senator-to-sena-tor business.”
Another time we were filming a commercial and one of the sound men had on Adidas (tennis shoes). Later on when we were reviewing the film, he kept asking, “Did you see that man with the orange shoes.” He couldn’t get over a grown man wearing orange shoes.
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Raymond Strother was Stennis’ political consultant for the 1982 election.
Remembrances from:
Ellen Crain
Crain
Sixteen years before I was born, John C. Stennis began a career that led him to work with eight presidents and 402 other senators.
Forty-one years ago, this man pledged to “plow a straight furrow right down to the end of my row.” Who can dispute his record, holding up to that promise? Sen. Stennis is straight as an arrow.
When you consider everything this man has been through, it’s a miracle he’s alive today. To say the least, Stennis has had some close calls.
Robbers attacked the senator in 1973 on the street in front of his home in Washington and shot him three times in the stomach. John Stennis looked death in the face and fought back.
It wasn’t too many lears later that Stennis Icfet his wife, “Miss Coy” — yet another setback. Still, Stennis kept on going.
In 1982, he won his seventh election at the age of 81. A fine time for the senator but bad news still lay ahead. Life’s challenges for Stennis were not over. Cancer was found in his left leg, which was removed in 1984. Instead of stopping at this wall, Stennis went around it. He kept on going.
Now, in 1988, at 87 years old, Sen. John Stennis is still going strong.
It’s almost like he doesn’t know when to stop. Webster’s could redefine “work” as John Stennis. His determination and wisdom never cease to amaze.
Any subject that comes up, Sen. Stennis always has a story to tell. During the presidential election last fall, he looked back on his first meeting with President Ronald Reagan and shared this account with his staff.
The senator greeted Reagan with his Southern hospitality and told him: “Mr. President, I’m John Stennis from Mississippi and I am a Woodrow Wilson Democrat.” The president replied, “And I used to be, before I knew better!” Well, Sen. Stennis chuckled at the story even at his own expense.
Throughout his 41 years in the Senate and 20 before that in Mississippi government, Stennis has evidently kept a good sense of humor which just may be the secret key he’s used throughcfijt all the adversities he’s faced.
Whatever the secret is, he’s used it well. In a way, Stennis is like an old Timex watch; he “takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.”
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Ellen Crain was Sen. John Stennis’ press assistant from 1987 through his retirement.