SLS 21RS-1917 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 93
BY SENATOR REESE
CONDOLENCES. Expresses condolences upon the death of Dr. Ralph Michael "Mike"
Hennessee.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
3 death of Dr. Ralph Michael "Mike" Hennessee.
4 WHEREAS, it is with deep regret and profound sorrow that the Senate of the
5 Legislature of Louisiana has learned of the passing of a great gentleman and family
6 patriarch, Ralph Michael Hennessee, better known as "Dr. Mike", on May 9, 2021, at the age
7 of seventy-five years; and
8 WHEREAS, Mike was born in Port Arthur, Texas, on May 8, 1946, to Alford and
9 Joyce Hennessee; and
10 WHEREAS, he always claimed he "was born in the wrong state" and was thankful
11 when his family moved to Lawton, Oklahoma, when he was but six weeks of age, thus
12 creating a loyal, lifetime fan of Oklahoma University; and
13 WHEREAS, Dr. Mike graduated from the University of Tennessee School of
14 Dentistry in 1969, and then joined the United States Army; and
15 WHEREAS, while in the Army, he attended the basic and advanced dental courses
16 at Health Service Command in San Antonio, Texas, and the Airborne School at Fort
17 Benning, Georgia; and
18 WHEREAS, while serving in the Army, Dr. Mike completed two overseas tours, the
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SLS 21RS-1917 ORIGINAL
1 first to Korea in 1969, and then deployed for eighteen months to Vietnam in 1971; and
2 WHEREAS, during his tour in Vietnam, he served in the 5th Infantry Division
3 (Mechanized), the 1st Cavalry Division, and the 101st Airborne Division; and
4 WHEREAS, Dr. Mike went on to receive his specialty training in pedodontics from
5 the University of Missouri at Kansas City and Children's Mercy Hospital, which he
6 completed in 1975; and
7 WHEREAS, in 1979, while stationed at Ft. Polk, and after serving ten years in the
8 Army, he was honorably discharged and returned to civilian life, opening a private practice
9 in Leesville; and
10 WHEREAS, for more than thirty years, he proudly served the needs of the Leesville
11 community and looked forward to each new day; and
12 WHEREAS, in 2019, Dr. Mike celebrated fifty years of dentistry and continued
13 beyond to further pursue his passion; and
14 WHEREAS, while he loved dentistry, to him it was but a means to serve, and he
15 never stopped looking for ways to brighten the lives of others; and
16 WHEREAS, Dr. Mike was a member and deacon at First Baptist Church, a lifetime
17 member of the Leesville Lions Club, the creator of Dentist with a Heart Day, a missionary
18 with Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International, and a member of the Sabine Mission
19 Team; and
20 WHEREAS, he was beloved by family, friends, and colleagues, and is remembered
21 for his incredible commitment to his practice and his generosity to all; and
22 WHEREAS, he is survived by his loving wife, Phylliss Bradshaw Hennessee; his
23 daughters, Allyson Hennessee and Michaela Hennessee; present and past staff of West
24 Louisiana Dental; and many extended family members and friends; and
25 WHEREAS, the memory of Dr. Mike will always remain in the hearts of his family
26 and friends, who will forever reap the benefits of his lifetime of achievement; and
27 WHEREAS, those who knew and loved him will continue to swell with pride when
28 they remember Dr. Mike as a positive force in his community; and
29 WHEREAS, he represented all that is good about Louisiana as a man with unique
30 gifts and a charitable spirit, and with his passing, Louisiana has lost one of its finest citizens,
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1 who left an indelible mark on the lives of the many individuals whom he touched with his
2 truly inspiring qualities, and who is now terribly missed but will never be forgotten.
3 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
4 does hereby extend its sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr. Ralph Michael
5 Hennessee upon the occasion of his death.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana does
7 hereby express its appreciation for Dr. Mike's enduring contributions, which shall long
8 continue to be a source of deep honor for the city of Leesville, the state of Louisiana, and
9 beyond, and does hereby pay tribute to his remarkable legacy, which shall forever remain
10 in the hearts of those who were touched by his humanity.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
12 Phylliss Bradshaw Hennessee.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Alden A. Clement Jr.
DIGEST
SR 93 Original 2021 Regular Session Reese
Expresses condolences upon the death of Dr. Ralph Michael "Mike" Hennessee.
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