By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Tuesday, April 18, 2017, the Alabama House of Representatives had a moment of silence for former Speaker of the House Joe McCorquodale (D) who passed away early on Tuesday.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) wrote in a statement: “Many Alabamians are saddened to learn of the sudden death of Joe C. McCorquodale, former Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. I counted him as a friend, a mentor, and a colleague. Mr. Speaker was a man of principle who truly loved and served this State. When he hired me as the House Reading Clerk he gave me wise advice he said, ‘Never, ever lie. If you tell one lie, you’ll forget and will tell another. Soon you will be caught up in lies.’ I assured him I understood and would never do so. To this day his advice resonates with me.”
Gov. Ivey added, “Joe McCorquodale was a friend to many, including me. He set the bar high for principled and honest leadership for the State of Alabama. Thank you so much ‘Mr. Speaker’.”
State Representative Elaine Beech (D-Chatham) said that McCorquodale was very encouraging to her when she first was elected to the House and was a good friend.
Born Joseph Charles McCorquodale Jr on December 2, 1920 in Mobile, McCorquodale served in the US Army Air Corps in World War II. He was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1959. He was speaker of the House from 1971 to 1983.
McCorquodale ran for Governor in 1982 but lost the Democratic primary to George C. Wallace.
McCorquodale was an owner of McCorquodale Insurance Agency, president of Overstreet and McCorquodale Forest Products, Inc., and chairman of the Board of the Washington County State Bank.
He was a graduate of the Marian Military Institute and the University of Alabama. He was married to the former Betty McCrary and is the father of two sons, Joseph, III, and Gaines C. McCorquodale, and has four grandchildren.
He was 96.
(Wikipedia was consulted in the preparing of this report)
