Board looks back and honors past Board Members
The State Board of Pardons and Paroles honored all Parole Board Members who previously served during a ceremony at the June Board Meeting. Public attending included relatives of the Board’s original three members appointed to the first Board in 1943.
The Parole Board was established by the legislature seventy-five years ago as a three member body. It was expanded to five members in 1973.
The current Parole Board introduced a new addition to the agency’s website which includes photos of the previous forty-two members who have served since 1943 along with information about their lives and careers.
Executive Director of Parole Chris Barnett introduced the website presentation as befitting of the Georgia Parole Board’s history and the appropriate manner in which to always honor the men and women who have served as members of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles.
“I believe it’s important to always keep a close grip on our history and recognize the great people that paved the way to lead us to where we are today. I don’t think we should forget our history and we should always remind ourselves of where we came from,” stated Barnett.
The first Parole Board in 1943 consisted of three members; Edward B. Everett, Grover Cleveland Byars and Helen Williams Coxon. The current Board presented resolutions to the relatives of the first board members at the meeting.
Edward B. Everett III of Atlanta received the Board’s resolution honoring his father Edward Beaufort Everett who was also the Board’s first chairman.
Everett thanked the Board as he reflected on his father’s life and career.
“I appreciate you doing this and it is a thrill for you to honor my father,” stated Everett.
Louis Byars, Rome City Schools Superintendent, spoke on behalf of his grandfather Grover Cleveland Byars.
“I want to thank you for honoring my grandfather. Our family has a long history of serving the community and this was just one of the ways that my grandfather served,” said Byars.
Elizabeth Lake, great niece of Helen Coxon, said Coxon once told her about being on the Parole Board.
“She told me the work she had to do on the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles was the hardest thing she ever had to do,” said Lake.
Lake still lives in the Long County home that her great aunt, the "Lady from Long," was born in and where she lived her life.
The website addition highlighting past board members is available at www.pap.georgia.gov and is listed under Board Members and Past Board Members.
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State Board of Pardons and Paroles
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