Miss Anna Belle Has Passed
Posted on August 31, 2009 at 11:23 pm
From Lamar Alexander:
“For a half century Anna Belle was a pioneer for Tennessee women in politics and an effective force for better schools and health care. She worked across party lines to help Tennessee become the first state to pay teachers more for teaching well. She relished her integral role as a leader of one of Tennessee’s most consequential political families. She was a delight to work with. I will miss her.”
State Senator Ken Yager:
“Truly the First Lady of Tennessee politics, Anna Belle O’Brien was one of the most remarkable women in this state. The news of her death both saddens me and brings back a rush of pleasant memories.
“I had the privilege to work with Senator O’Brien while I was Roane County Executive (1982-2006). During this time she taught me the truism that “if you don’t ask, you won’t get it.” I learned from her the art of compromise and the value of persistence. Her Nashville influence brought many projects to Roane County. She helped with building bridges, additions to Roane State Community College, the interstate interchanges and much more throughout the 12th Senatorial District. Anna Belle, as she wanted us to call her, could be quite tenacious, but was also very compassionate. She cared about people, especially those who couldn’t speak for themselves. She also did what she thought was right. I recall her crossing party lines to provide key support for then Governor Alexander’s Better Schools Program.”
“The passing of Sen. Anna Belle O’Brien turns a page in history. She leaves a generous legacy of support for education and the mentally ill. Her efforts resulted in generations of Tennesseans, young and old, having better education opportunities. And because of her support, the stigma attached to mental illness has been removed. We can best honor her by continuing to support these worthy goals.”
Governor Phil Bredesen:
“Miss Anna Belle’s signature line was ‘Politics is a beautiful word.’ ‘Politics’ was most certainly made more beautiful here in Tennessee by being graced by the presence of Anna Belle Clement O’Brien for so long. With her passing, we’ve lost yet another link to a more generous and collegial political world.
“I first got to know her when I ran - and lost - against her nephew, Bob Clement, for Congress in 1987. She was definitely and firmly on the other side, but always gracious and kind. In the years after that, she took me under her wing and went out of her way to help me along with advice and unqualified support. I confessed to her many times that her ‘Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval’ was just what a young outsider needed to break into Tennessee politics, and she was always pleased to hear that.
“Andrea and I offer our sympathy and condolences to her nephews Bob and Frank Clement, to her niece Sara Kyle, and to all of the members of her family on her passing.”
Leadership of the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus:
“Senator O’Brien was known simply as ‘Anna Belle’ by those who knew her and those who did not know her, which was a testament to her accessibility and her familiarity with the people of Tennessee,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis.
“She blazed a trail for women in politics and was a tireless advocate for the causes she believed in. She always closed her remarks with the phrase ‘Politics is a beautiful word,’ and because of Anna Belle, it was. My family, like many Tennesseans, will miss her deeply.”
Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman Lowe Finney:
“Members of the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former State Senator Anna Belle Clement O’Brien.
“As a senator, she fought for those who needed a voice. As a Democrat, she energized her party, and she was able to work effectively with legislators in both parties. As a Tennessean, she worked tirelessly to make the state she loved a finer place.
“Her passing is Tennessee’s loss, and our thoughts and prayers today are with the Clement family.”
SEE ALSO:
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The AP
Mark Brown
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Governor Phil Bredesen today signed Executive Order #60, continuing a policy that ensures executive branch employees ordered to active military duty are not financially constrained by lower military pay while they are in service. Governor Bredesen has issued this order every year since taking office.
Executive Order #60 extends for another year the special leave with partial pay granted to executive branch employees who are Tennessee National Guard and Reserve members serving in operations undertaken in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and other operations, including Enduring Freedom, Joint Endeavor, Noble Eagle and Iraqi Freedom.
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