HLS 19RS-2800 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 115
BY REPRESENTATIVES BARRAS, LEGER, THOMAS, GREGORY MILLER,
ANDERS, BILLIOT, ROBBY CARTER, CONNICK, GISCLAIR, GLOVER,
HENRY, HILFERTY, LEOPOLD, LYONS, MARINO, JIM MORRIS, STAGNI,
STOKES, TALBOT, AND WRIGHT AND SENATORS ALARIO, LONG,
MARTINY, APPEL, CARTER, ERDEY, JOHNS, LAFLEUR, LAMBERT,
MORRELL, MORRISH, PETERSON, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH,
THOMPSON, AND WALSWORTH
CONDOLENCES: Expresses condolences on the death of former state representative
Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To express condolences upon the death of Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr., and to express
3 enduring gratitude for his outstanding contributions to the state of Louisiana,
4 particularly during his tenure as a distinguished member of the Louisiana House of
5 Representatives.
6 WHEREAS, Charlie will be sorely missed; he was a man with a keen intellect,
7undeniable wit, charm, and great sense of humor which brightened the lives of all around
8him; and
9 WHEREAS, Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr., was born in New Orleans on
10September 22, 1943, to Charles D., Sr., and Helen Stafford Lancaster; and
11 WHEREAS, Charlie attended Holy Name of Jesus and graduated from Jesuit High
12School, where he played on the Jesuit High School 1960 state championship football team,
13held the state track record for high hurdles for many years beyond his 1961 graduation, and
14was named Outstanding Athlete of the Year for his combined academic and athletic
15achievements; and
16 WHEREAS, Charlie earned his bachelor of arts from the University of Southwestern
17Louisiana (now known as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and his juris doctorate
18from Loyola University, where he was a member of the Law Review; and
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HCR NO. 115
1 WHEREAS; Charlie served for twenty-two years in the Louisiana Army National
2Guard, retiring as a major; he practiced law for over four decades; and
3 WHEREAS, Charlie served in the House of Representatives for thirty-two years; he
4was the first Republican elected to office in Jefferson Parish and the longest-serving
5Republican elected official in Louisiana history; and
6 WHEREAS, he is credited with making significant contributions to build the
7Republican Party in Jefferson Parish and across Louisiana; when he was first elected to the
8House in 1971, he was the sole Republican House member; now there are sixty-one; and
9 WHEREAS, Representative Lancaster chaired the House Committee on House and
10Governmental Affairs for twelve years, expertly navigating complex and politically-charged
11matters regarding elections, campaign finance, open meetings, public records, and
12redistricting under two governors, one a Republican and one a Democrat; and
13 WHEREAS, Representative Lancaster exemplified the highest ideals of the civil,
14bipartisan legislator by valuing relationships and respect over partisanship; known as a man
15of his word, he was inducted into the 2018 Class of the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame; and
16 WHEREAS, he is survived by his daughter, Edith Helen "Dee Dee" Lancaster; son
17Charles D. Lancaster, III; brother, William Bradford Lancaster, and his wife Suzy; sisters,
18Helen Lancaster Bailey, and her husband Neil, and Marjorie Lancaster Crowell, and her
19husband Mark; niece, Blair Redfield Lancaster; brothers-in-law, George William Shannon,
20Jr., and his wife Janet, Robert MacKinnon Shannon, Jon O'Hara Shannon, and his wife
21Roman, and James Cahill Shannon, and his wife Jill; his "grand little dude", Duncan Stewart
22Wallace; and a host of cousins; and
23 WHEREAS, the death of Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr., has evoked a
24tremendous sense of loss within the legislative community in Louisiana; all those who knew
25and loved him take great comfort in recalling his many years of public service and personal
26interactions.
27 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
28express condolences upon the death of Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr.; does hereby
29express enduring gratitude for his outstanding contributions to the state of Louisiana,
30particularly during his tenure as a distinguished member of the Louisiana House of
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HCR NO. 115
1Representatives; and does hereby extend enduring appreciation for the tremendous pride and
2honor that this accomplished man will forever bring to his family, friends, community, and
3the state of Louisiana.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
5family of Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 115 Original 2019 Regular Session Barras
Expresses the condolences of the legislature on the death of former state representative
Charles D. "Charlie" Lancaster, Jr.
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