04/24/17  Jay Dickey Dies In Pine Bluff

 

Former 4th District Congressman Jay Dickey of Pine Bluff died unexpectedly on Thursday at JRMC in Pine Bluff from complications of Parkinson's disease. Dickey graduated from Pine Bluff High School in 1957. He attended Hendrix college for one year and then transferred to the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville and attended U of A Law School. He played basketball and tennis for the Razorbacks and coached the Razorback Tennis Team while attending law school.

He began his legal career with his father in private practice and served as Pine Bluff city attorney from 1968-70. Dickey ran for Congress in 1992, becoming the first Republican U.S. Representative for the 4th district, serving from 1992 till 2001. He served on many committees while in Congress. He was most proud of his work on the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, which prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from using appropriated funds for the creation of human embryos for research  purposes or for research in which human embryos are destroyed.

He was also a lifelong member of the NRA and crafted an amendment to the House of Representatives appropriations bill that came to be known as the Dickey-Wicker Amendment to prevent the CDC from gun violence research. Years later with friend Dr. Mark Rosenberg of the CDC, Jay became a strong advocate for using scientific research to find ways to simultaneously protect the rights of law abiding gun owners and attempt to prevent deaths and injuries from gun violence.

Funeral Services are scheduled for Saturday April 29,  at 10:30 at First Baptist Church in Pine Bluff. Interment will be in Ludington, Michigan. Ralph Robinson and Son Funeral Directors in charge of arrangements.