2020 First Extraordinary Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 9
BY SENATOR JOHNS
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
death of Morgan Samuel "Mike" Harmison IV.
WHEREAS, known to everyone as "Mike", Morgan Samuel Harmison IV departed
this life in the early morning hours of January 30, 2020; and
WHEREAS, he was born on December 3, 1941, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and
attended Ysleta High School in El Paso, Texas, where he was the starting quarterback on the
football team and voted "Mr. Brave" (the school mascot was the Braves) his senior year; and
WHEREAS, after college, Mike served as a corpsman in the United States Navy,
from which he was honorably discharged; and
WHEREAS, his career brought him to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he remained
the rest of his life; his first job in Lake Charles involved working in collections for a finance
company and he then moved into banking, starting his career at Lakeside National Bank in
1966; and
WHEREAS, his winning personality and banking talent earned him numerous
promotions over the succeeding years and at the time Lakeside National Bank was purchased
by another institution in 1989, Mike had risen to Senior Lending Officer; and
WHEREAS, he then became part of a management team that joined Cameron State
Bank and worked there for more than twenty years, rising to the rank of Executive Vice
President and Senior Lending Officer; and
WHEREAS, with the team headed by President Roy Raftery, they grew Cameron
State Bank from a small institution to a $700 million bank at the time it was purchased by
Iberia Bank in 2011; and
WHEREAS, Mike was then recruited to join Lakeside Bank, which was the only
bank in the entire United States granted a de novo charter for a three-year period at the time;
shortly after coming to Lakeside Bank, he was asked to become president and CEO and he
quickly grew Lakeside to the point where its assets exceeded $200 million; and
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WHEREAS, Mike was universally respected in the banking community; he was a
favorite confidante of numerous bankers across the state, as well as business clients; he was
also unfailingly cheerful and friendly, and his knowledge of banking was encyclopedic; and
WHEREAS, respect for him throughout the region earned him an invitation to
become a director for Lake Area Medical Center, now part of the Ochsner Hospital System;
and
WHEREAS, he was an avid hunter and fisherman, owning a boat named The Gin
Fin, and he and his crew were voted the Outstanding Boat in the SWLA Fishing Club
tournament in 1997-1998; and
WHEREAS, Mike also was a devoted golfer and although, he would be the first to
admit that he never mastered the game, he loved his time on the golf course with his buddies
and with his wife; he also fulfilled every golfer's dream when he was able to play the
venerable Augusta National Golf Club; and
WHEREAS, while Mike may not have mastered golf, he was a "whiz" at crossword
puzzles; many tried, but no one ever topped him; and part of that was no doubt attributable
to his voracious appetite for books, as he read at least one or two a week, and his intellectual
curiosity was wide-ranging; and
WHEREAS, Mike was also a man of deep faith in God; he read the Bible daily, and
he put its lessons to use in his daily actions; he never preached, but instead, inspired those
around him by his Christian example; and
WHEREAS, he truly "walked the walk" and even as his health began to fail, he led
a weekly Bible study group at his home; and
WHEREAS, Mike met the love of his life, Jo Ann Menges, at their 55th high school
reunion in El Paso; they had known each other casually in high school and while Mike was
the star quarterback, she was voted "most beautiful"; and
WHEREAS, when they began communicating again after all those years, sparks flew
and within six months, they were married; and
WHEREAS, those who knew Mike well never saw him so happy; he not only dearly
loved his wife, but he dearly loved his adopted family, consisting of her children and
grandchildren; and
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WHEREAS, Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Morgan "Sam" Samuel
Harmison III and Jane Stepp Harmison; and his brother, Marc Steven Harmison; and
WHEREAS, he is survived by his wife, Jo Ann Menges Harmison; their two
daughters, Rae Ann Barnes and Amy Smith; grandchildren, Sabrina Morgan Barnes, Forrest
Dean Barnes, Tory Anne Yeldell, Weston Greer Yeldell and wife Jolie Yeldell, Mason Ray
Yeldell, and Ethan David Escamilla; and great-grandson Weston Greer Yeldell Jr.; and
WHEREAS, the strength of our communities and the overall vitality of American
society depend, in great measure, upon the dedication of men like Morgan Samuel "Mike"
Harmison IV who use their considerable talents and resources to benefit future generations,
and he will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby express sincere condolences upon the death of Morgan Samuel "Mike"
Harmison IV, does hereby record for posterity his singular contributions and outstanding
achievements, and does hereby recognize the enduring appreciation for the pride and honor
that this fine gentleman brought to the state of Louisiana and the United States of America.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
wife, Jo Ann Menges Harmison.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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