T. Terrell Sessums

T. Terrell Sessums
Chairman of the Florida Board of Regents
In office 1979–1988
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
In office 1972–1974
Preceded by	Richard A. Pettigrew
Succeeded by	Donald L. Tucker
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 65th district
In office 1963–1972
Preceded by	Constitutional revision
Succeeded by	Decennial Redistricting
Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 66th district
In office 1972–1974
Preceded by	Decennial Redistricting
Succeeded by	H. Lee Moffitt
Personal details
Born	Thomas Terrell Sessums (1930-06-11)June 11, 1930 Daytona Beach, Florida, US
Died	June 6, 2020(2020-06-06) (aged 89) Tampa, Florida, US
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Neva
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Florida (B.A.) (J.D.)
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Years of service	1952–1956
Rank	Captain

Thomas Terrell Sessums (June 11, 1930 – June 6, 2020) was an American politician from Florida. He served as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives from 1972 to 1974.

Early life

Thomas Terrell Sessums was born June 11, 1930, in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. He was raised in Jacksonville, Florida, graduated from Andrew Jackson High School and then moved with his family to Tampa, Florida, after he started college.

Education

Sessums graduated from the University of Florida with his bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor and began his law practice in Tampa. While at the University of Florida Sessums was president of the student body (1952–1953) and member of Florida Blue Key. Sessums also served in the United States Air Force.

Politics

He served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1963 - 1974. During the 1972-74 session he served as Speaker of the House. He was also Chairman of the Florida Board of Regents, and is serving on the Board of Governors for Florida Southern College[1]. He also served as president of the board of trustees at the University of Tampa.

Later years

Sessums has received four honorary degrees (Rollins College, Flagler College, the University of South Florida, and Florida Southern College), and has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Florida Association of Colleges and Universities.

On June 7, 2013, T. Terrell Sessums was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County, Florida.

Sessums resided Tampa for the rest of his life. His wife Neva Sessums died on April 19, 2013.

He died on June 6, 2020.

Legacy

T. Terrell Sessums Elementary School in Riverview, Florida, was named in his honor when it opened in 2003. In 1965 Terrell Sessums introduced a bill into the Florida Legislature which created the Tampa Sports Authority and which led to the building of the original Tampa Stadium. In 1967 Terrell Sessums introduced legislation which formed by Special Act the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. In 2009 Terrell Sessums was honored by having a Tampa Bay Environmental Excellence Award named after him. Subsequently, there have been 4 winners of the Terrell Sessums Environmental Award. Sessums Mall on the campus of the University of South Florida was dedicated in 1999.

External links

• T. Terrell Sessums Collection at the University of South Florida
• Sessums Mall at the University of South Florida
• Sessums Elementary School
• Neva S. Sessums obituary
• Video Interview with Tampa Bay Insiders on YouTube 29 minutes.
• USF Oral History interview with Harris Mullen 1996