Former Tennessee State Rep. Curtis Halford died on Jan. 24 at the age of 81.
Halford, a Republican in Dyer, Tennessee, served Gibson County and part of Carroll County as the representative for District 79 from 2009 through 2023. Prior to his statehouse service, he was a Gibson County commissioner and the Dyer Public Works superintendent. He was also a veteran of the United States Air Force.
While in the General Assembly, Halford’s committee service spanned agriculture, health and human resources and ethics.
Former Tennessee Rep. Curtis Halford (Photo: tn.gov.)
Sen. Ed Jackson, R-Jackson, reflected on Halford’s life and service at a Government Operations Joint Committee Monday morning, prompting Halford’s former colleagues to share their memories.
Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, described Halford as gentle and approachable.
“This is my 15th year here, and there’s occasionally somebody that will serve that knows how to navigate and not create enemies, and vote their conscience and not create enemies, and Curtis was one of those guys,” Faison said.
Faison recalled leaving the Capitol with Halford after session closed on April 22, 2022. The two returned to Halford’s apartment and reminisced for hours about Halford’s 16 years in the General Assembly.
“He told me, while we were sitting there, that of all the things he’d ever been able to accomplish in his life, outside of knowing Jesus and his wife, this was the very greatest thing he’d ever got to do,” Faison said. “And I cherish that memory with him.”
Rep. G.A. Hardaway, D-Memphis, said Halford paid attention to Hardaway’s penchant for intriguing socks, and made sure to bring Hardaway any particularly intriguing pairs he found on his travels.
“He was one of those (people) who operated off of principle, and he didn’t take anything personal,” Hardaway said. “He was one of the first chairmen that I really had a good working relationship with.”
There’s occasionally somebody that will serve that knows how to navigate and not create enemies, and vote their conscience and not create enemies, and Curtis was one of those guys.
– Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby
Rep. Joe Towns, Jr., D-Memphis, described Halford as a classy gentleman who was simple to talk to and work with.
“There have been a lot of great guys and ladies to come through this body. We live and die up here, it’s happening every day,” Towns said. “Now, this is a reason that we should make it a point to figure out how we can do the things that are going to move the state forward as quickly as we can, and he did that. He did it in top-notch fashion.”
Halford is survived by his wife, Charlotte, with whom he had two children, Lori and Bradley, and three grandchildren.
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