<BillNo> <Sponsor>
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 475
By Clemmons
HJR0475
005846
- 1 -
A RESOLUTION to honor the memory of Colonel James Russell
Dismukes of Nashville.
WHEREAS, the members of this General Assembly were greatly saddened to learn of
the passing of Colonel James Russell Dismukes; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Dismukes was an exemplary public servant and consummate
professional who worked assiduously to improve the quality of life for his fellow citizens in
numerous capacities; and
WHEREAS, born on September 20, 1932, in Birmingham, Alabama, Colonel James
Russell Dismukes was the son of Colonel Roy Lloyd Dismukes and Mary Aileen Russell
Dismukes; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Jim Dismukes was raised in a family that instilled in him a deep
sense of duty and discipline; his father was an Army colonel, and his mother was an organist in
the church; and
WHEREAS, he attended C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento, California, and
graduated from the University of Alabama in 1955 and was commissioned as a second
lieutenant in the U.S. Army, embarking on a military career that would span nearly two decades;
and
WHEREAS, Colonel Dismukes distinguished himself as a leader and strategist during
his military service, when he was assigned to fill key positions both stateside and abroad; he
served in an advisory position in Vietnam and played a critical role in training and assisting
Allied Forces of over 18,000 troops under General Creighton William Abrams, Jr., who
commanded military operations in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972; and
- 2 - 005846
WHEREAS, Colonel Dismukes later commanded units within the 101
st
Airborne Division
and received a number of military honors and commendations for his service, including the
Bronze Star for Valor, the Legion of Merit, and the Combat Infantry Badge; and
WHEREAS, in the years leading up to his retirement in Jacksonville, Florida, he was
given the honor of top Army recruiter in the United States by United States Senator Lawton
Chiles; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Dismukes met the love of his life, Karen, on the tennis courts at
Middle Tennessee State University; the couple married in 1968 at the United Methodist Church
in Murfreesboro; and
WHEREAS, working side by side in their retail business, Jim and Karen Dismukes also
acquired real estate and restored three homes on the National Register of Historic Homes; they
later relocated to Nashville but remained members of the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly;
and
WHEREAS, after opening The Village Square and The French Shoppe 2 in
Murfreesboro, which later expanded to Nashville, the couple transformed retail by taking fashion
on the road, bringing their curated collections directly to customers in private showings; and
WHEREAS, an active part of his community, Colonel Dismukes shared his time and
talents in support of a number of charitable efforts, including Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and
the Dupont Country Club's Autism Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Dismukes was also deeply devoted to his family, and he always
endeavored to remain true to family values of the highest order; and
WHEREAS, a loving husband, devoted father, and doting grandfather, he is survived by
his wife, Karen Elrod Dismukes; daughters, Tara Dismukes (Ben) Wegdam and Karen Aileen
Dismukes (William) Cooper; son, James Russell (Christy) Dismukes II; grandchildren, Kiki
- 3 - 005846
Wegdam, Paris Wegdam, Ben Wegdam, Jr., Willis Cooper, Constance Cooper, James Russell
Dismukes III, and Lana Dismukes; and
WHEREAS, he will be sadly mourned but fondly remembered by his brothers and
sisters-in-law, Cecil (Tommye) Elrod III, Susan (George) Creagh, Beth (Roscoe) Scofield, and
David Elrod (Nancy Burns); cousin, Margaret (Jed) Hendrick; and a host of extended family,
dear friends, and admirers; and
WHEREAS, in addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his father- and
mother-in-law, Cecil Elrod, Jr., and Betty Elrod; and his uncle, Homer (Linda) Russell; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Dismukes leaves behind an indelible legacy of integrity and probity
in public life, compassion and loyalty in private life, and diligence and dedication in all his
chosen endeavors; and
WHEREAS, it is fitting that the members of this General Assembly should pause to
remember the bountiful life of this exceptional public servant and human being; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we honor the memory of Colonel James Russell Dismukes, reflecting
fondly upon his impeccable character and his stalwart commitment to living the examined life
with courage and conviction.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
without House or Senate designation.