Old Senator Roundtree

 

Today we lost a giant sequoia of a man in the Senate.

Senator Thomas Roundtree lost his heroic fight with cancer.

He had served our state for the last 43 years,

a pillar of democratic ideals and an all around

good friend to the working class.

 

Like his father before him, he never met a voter

he didn’t like. His wife of 51 years Molly Sever Roundtree

told our Hank Brown that while the last 6 years

had been quiet, the cancer suddenly flared again last month,

and caught their family unaware. Doctors could do little.

 

The Roundtrees are survived by their three children,

Anthony, John and Martha Ann Roundtree Clinton.

The children have established a fund in their father’s name

that will provide saplings and volunteer planters in the area

of the devastating Holbein Fire that blackened 1200 acres in April.

 

Senator Roundtree would have liked that. He was never one

to miss a gathering that would help to end global warning. He

will be cremated, and a memorial service will be held

in early October. Silent prayers will be held daily for

one minute at noon to help citizens and colleagues

reflect on his impact and how much his good heart will be missed.