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Earlier this week, we received word that longtime Troup County Commissioner Richard English had died. English had served as a commissioner for more than 40 years and had led Troup County through a lot of change.

He also brought some much-needed diversity to the commission. Somehow, sadly, in 2021, English is the only Black commissioner our county has ever had.

Every election cycle we write in this space that we wish more people would run for public office, as the more people involved, and the more choices for voters, the stronger our community will be. But we certainly need diverse leadership too, as we need all voices to be heard and represented.

English didn’t often have a lot to say in commission meetings, at least in his later years, but he didn’t have to. When he spoke, you knew it was important. It was clear he was a well-respected leader who the other commissioners looked up to a great deal. 

His 43 years of experience were more than the rest of the Troup County Commission combined, and everyone on the commission is serving at least their second term. His funeral will be held to honor English at Sweetland Amphitheatre on Tuesday.  Our thoughts are with his friends and family, who lost a great man.

Troup County as a whole will certainly miss him and all the guidance he brought over the years. His legacy and the history he made will hopefully blaze a path for others to follow.