Congressman J.J. "Jake" Pickle

One of only six southern members of Congress to vote for the 1964 Civil Rights Act, former Congressman Pickle died on Saturday at the age of 91. You can read more about this legendary member of Congress in The Austin American-Statesman (registration required.) Also, read the New York Times story.

My wife worked for him for a time so I was able to spend some time around Mr. Pickle and his staff. For them, it was always the people. Always. It sounds at least old-fashioned to say something like that in 2005, but it was true. You could use Jake Pickle as a definition for the term "public servant."

In the online guest book, someone wrote that Mr. Pickle helped them when nobody else would. Does that sum it up?

If you made a request to his office, you would hear back from someone within three days. Test your Member of Congress with that one ...