Representative Goffrey Hardaway of the Tennessee State House passed away on Friday morning at the age of 71, according to his family.
His family said he battled a “brief illness” at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville before passing away at around 5:22 a.m.
Since March 2007, Hardaway has served as a representative for District 92, which was renamed District 93 in January 2013.
In addition, he was also the former chair of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators and the chair of the Shelby County Legislative Democratic Caucus.
The Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP) released a statement regarding Hardaway’s passing:
“For years, State Representative G.A. Hardaway served with integrity, fighting to ensure every Tennessean had a voice in their government. His legacy is defined not only by his leadership in the legislature, but by the way he showed up for his community each and every day. He led with heart, treated everyone with dignity, and never lost sight of who he was fighting for. We are sending our deepest condolences to his loved ones, community, and the constituents of House District 93 during this terribly difficult time. His loss will be felt deeply across Tennessee, and his legacy will continue to inspire the work ahead.”
