Former Lt. Governor passes away at 84

Brad Dye, who was lieutenant governor longer than anyone else in Mississippi history, has died at age 84. He died Sunday at a hospice in Ridgeland from respiratory failure.

A Charleston native, Dye’s career spanned much of the post-war era of Mississippi’s politics. He got his start paging for future U.S. Rep Jamie Whitten and driving around U.S. Senator James Eastland.

Dye also served as a state House member, state senator, and treasurer before serving three terms as lieutenant governor. While Dye was leading the state Senate, it passed Gov. William Winter’s education reform package as well as a major highway expansion in 1987.

Funeral services for Dye are planned for Thursday at Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson.