The following information is re-printed from the Poole-Ritchie Funeral Home website:
"B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn, Senator, 12th District, was born on August 11, 1916. Sixty passed away on March 5, 2008 at St. Tammany Hospital in Covington, LA. Mr. Rayburn was a Baptist, a Mason and a Shriner, Louisiana Cattleman’s Association Member, and past President of the Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association for many years.
A farmer, cattleman, horseman, and avid hunter, Rayburn worked at Crown- Zellerbach corporation as a pipe fitter for thirty years. He was a graduate of Sumerall High School and Sullivan Memorial Trade School.
His political career began in 1944 when he was elected to the Washington Parish Police Jury, becoming the youngest Police Juror in Louisiana. He served as vice-presedent of that body until 1948 when he was elected to serve in the House of Representatives. He remained in the Louisiana House until 1951, when he was elected to serve an unexpired term in the Senate. Rayburn, who served under Earl K. Long, former Governor, was continuously returned to the Senate by his constituents for 44 years and was the acknowledged Dean of the Louisiana Legislature.
As a legislator, he served on the following committees: Conservation, Education, Transportation and Public Works, Industrial Relations, Labor and Capitol, Long-range Highway, Retirement, Interim Emergency Board, Bond Commission, and Chairman of both the Senate Finance Committee and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget for many years.
He was elected delegate to the 1973 Constitutional Convention, where he served as Chairman of the Committee on Revenue, Finance and taxation.
In 1959, Senator Rayburn was awarded an honorary doctorate from Loyola University in recognition of his knowledge and understanding of state government. In 1973, he was made an honorary member of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association in recognition of his years of service to the cause of “the health of man and his domesticated animals” in Louisiana, and for his help in creating the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Senator Rayburn was the first lay person to receive this honor. In 1978, Senate Concurrent Resolution 135 was passed to name the school of veterinary medicine, the Rayburn School of Veterinary Science, in honor of the Rayburn family of Washington Parish due to the fact that Senator Rayburn was instrumental in the creation of the veterinary school on the campus of Louisiana State University and in honor of Senator Rayburn for his leadership, dedication and contribution to the State of Louisiana.
On March 17, 1993 the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine presented him with the University Medal which is the highest honor given at LSU. Senator Rayburn received this recognition in honor of his many contributions to the School of Veterinary Medicine and the State of Louisiana.
Senator Rayburn was instrumental in obtaining funds for construction of a new Sullivan Vocational-Technical Institute, which was put into use in September of 1971, at a cost of $985,730.
In 1948, Senator Rayburn was instrumental in obtaining $500,000 for the construction of Washington- St. Tammany Charity Hospital and formal dedication was held on January 6, 1951. Senator Rayburn secured funds in the 1979 and 1980 legislative sessions in the amount of $29.6 Million for the construction of Washington Parish Correctional Center. This created some 400 plus jobs for his area.
On August 31, 2006 the Washington Parish Correctional Center was renamed the B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn Correctional Center in his honor of hard work and dedication for securing this institution for Washington parish. "
He has his own Wikipedia entry. CLICK HERE to read more about his career.
His obituary may be found at THIS LINK.
