Title
To honor, recognize and celebrate the life of Senator Ben E. Espy, 1943-2025
Body
WHEREAS, Ben E. Espy was born on July 12th, 1943 in Nashville Tennessee and is preceded in death by his wife and trailblazer Kathy Espy; and
WHEREAS, Sen. Espy loved Columbus and was a proud Buckeye, serving on the OSU football team under Woody Hayes and earning a bachelor’s degree in political science before obtaining his law degree from Howard University in 1968; and
WHEREAS, Sen. Espy was a tireless advocate for justice, serving in the Ohio Attorney General’s office as deputy chief of the Civil Rights Division, the Division of Criminal Activities, and later Senior Legal Aide to the Attorney General; and
WHEREAS, as a cornerstone of the Columbus community, Sen. Espy dedicated his life to public leadership for the city, serving for over a decade on the Columbus City Council as president pro tempore, where he left a lasting legacy, establishing the Columbus Youth Corps, the predecessor to the city’s APPS summer jobs program, as well as Columbus’ annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration; and
WHEREAS, Sen. Espy was deeply loved by the City of Columbus and embodied stewardship in every aspect of his life, serving as the minority leader in the Ohio Senate from 1996 to 2000, was actively involved in dozens of local organizations, and dedicated his time to cultivating the next generation of city leaders; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus extends its sincere condolences to the friends and family of Senator Ben E. Espy, including his four children, Elizabeth, Amy, Laura, and Lynnette, and countless other family members, friends, public servants, and loved ones across Columbus and beyond; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby honor, recognize, and celebrate the life of Senator Ben E. Espy.