In Memory

Jerry Lomax

Jerry Lomax

Jerry Lomax, 

Former Harrison County Commissioner Jerry Lomax died in Shreveport, Louisiana, February 5, 2018.  Jerry was born in Marshall, Texas, October 20, 1943, and resided here most of his life before relocating to Shreveport in 2014.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Lomax Jr. and Margaret Schuler Lomax, and a brother, David Lomax.  He is survived by his wife Lynn Abney Lomax; daughter Katherine “Kackie” Lomax Sarrett; son Robert Lomax IV and his wife Melissa and grandson Nicholas; brother Phil Lomax and wife Kathe; sister-in-law Kathy Heard; and nieces, nephews, and multiple cousins.

Jerry was a 1963 graduate of Marshall High School, and attended East Texas Baptist College and Kilgore Junior College.  He enlisted in the National Guard in 1965 and served 21 years before retiring with the rank of Sergeant First Class.  He worked in insurance, as a hospital business administrator, and owner and operator of a locksmith company before being elected to the Harrison County Commissioners Court in 2000, where he served two terms.

From early childhood, Jerry and his brothers spent many happy days at Caddo Lake.  His love and appreciation of Caddo Lake helped guide Jerry to work with others in many struggles to protect the lake and its wetlands from inappropriate development and encroachment.  As County Commissioner for Precinct 1, Jerry played a courageous and crucial role in protecting the new Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge from misguided industrial development proposals.  He was also among the first to recognize the threat to the lake of Giant Salvinia and supported early containment and removal efforts, including construction of the two mile net barricade that helped protect the Texas side of the lake until it was destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

Even before he was elected to public office, Jerry’s career choices always involved public service.  In hospital administration, military service, and as a locksmith Jerry’s focus was on helping people.  He cared deeply about the well-being of his constituents in Precinct 1, and all of Harrison County, and always met his duties and responsibilities with integrity and fairness.  He was a man of such high principle that when standing for re-election to a third term and he was told by many that he would probably be unopposed and easily re-elected if he changed his party affiliation, he refused to do so on the grounds that he would not pretend to be something he wasn’t just to get votes.

Jerry was loved and admired by his many friends for his sense of humor, his candor, and his open mindedness. For many years before relocating to Shreveport to be closer to his daughter, Jerry and Lynn’s art-filled Marshall home served as a convivial meeting place to a varied assortment of folks for political talk, local history discussions, joke telling, and yarns.  Many who were regular members of his “Friday Night Choir Practice” group have also departed this earth, and it is the prayer and expectation of those still here that Jerry has reunited with them in another world and they are picking matters up again where they left off.

A memorial service for Jerry Lomax will be held at 2 PM Saturday, February 10, 2018, at Downs Funeral Home Chapel in Marshall, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, your donation to the Greater Caddo Lake Association will be appreciated.”



 
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02/08/18 10:33 PM #1    

John Raish

I am stunned.  I just visited with Jerry two weeks ago at his home in Shreveport.  He had suffered serious illnesses, but he did not dwell on them.  He betrayed no sense of fear or anger that his physical abilities were diminished.  We reconnected two years ago by way of the class website. We both were in the Class of 62 but I moved to Austin after the Sophmore year, and he needed a bonus year at MHS.  When I saw his name in the new guests of the class list; I called him, and learned that we lived about a mile apart in Shreveport.  After over 50 years we reconnected via your class website.  Thank you.  

Jerry was a carefree, honest friend.  He let me be my insecure self, and welcomed me into his circle of friends.  I will be forever thankful that our paths crossed again.  Rest in God's Eternal Peace.

John W. Raish


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