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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Herbert R. Silvers |
| Address |
Johnson City, Tennessee , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
July 26, 1919
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| Died | April 18, 2006
(86 years)
|
| Contributor | eddy 9_99 |
| Last Modifed | David
Jul 27, 2022 01:14pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | Herbert Ralston Silvers of Johnson City, TN completed his life on Tuesday, April 18, 2006. He was born in Welch, WV to Everett William and Faie Ralston Silvers, a family involved in the coal industry in Fork Ridge, TN. Attending high school in nearby Middlesboro, KY, he developed a love of learning and a talent for debate that would govern the course of his life. Graduating summa cum laude from Northwestern University at Evanston, IL, Class of '41, on a four-year scholarship with a B.S. in political science and psychology, this son of the coal camp entered Harvard Law School where he continued his studies and became an editor of The Harvard Law Review. He was drawn into the conflict of World War II and registered as a conscientious objector. Sent to England in 1942, he served as a clinical psychologist at army hospitals and received a direct commission as a medical administrative officer. His admiration for the people of England and delight in the bookstores of London drew him back there later in his life. Returning to Harvard Law School, he became a note editor on The Harvard Law Review, graduated cum laude and began his legal career in Washington, D.C. In 1952 he returned to Tennessee and set up a general law practice in Greeneville, TN. He was an ardent supporter of civil rights and was proud of a case he won in the early 1950's establishing that at least legally, black teachers had the same rights as other teachers. He also contributed a footnote or two to the legal brief for the Supreme Court for what became the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The tragic loss of his beloved wife Sara Buchanan, the mother of his three young children, marked his life and further developed his sympathy for families in distress.
Mr. Silvers' interests embraced a broad spectrum that included politics, mental health and education. He was the Democratic candidate for Congress in the strongly Republican first congressional district in 1962 and received the highest percentage obtained in the 20th century or since by any Democratic candidate for that office. In this endeavor he was championed by his second wife, Edna Dooley Silvers, the mother of his two younger sons.
In the mental health field he was instrumental in founding the Nolichuckey Holston Area Mental Health Center.
East Tennessee State University has lost one of its most avid friends and advocates. Herb Silvers served as a member of the ETSU Foundation Board of Directors and as a member of the ETSU Legacy Circle, in appreciation of which he was named an Honorary Alumnus in 2001.
Following his third wife, Barbara Jaffe's death in 1992, Herb established the Barbara Jaffe Silvers Memorial Fund in the ETSU Foundation for scholarships and fellowships in the ETSU Department of History. In 1998 he created the Barbara Jaffe Silvers Library Endowment in the ETSU Foundation to establish a Memorial Reading Area in the Sherrod Library that may be appreciated by students, faculty, and the community to read and enjoy a diverse collection of contemporary books and periodicals.
Herb's many philanthropic interests at ETSU have included WETS-FM, Athletics, Friends of Music, Friends of the Reece Museum, and The Friends of Theatre.
A member of numerous organizations including the Johnson City Symphony and Millennium Investment Group, Herb was an active participant at the Wellness Center and the new Johnson City Library.
He was a man with a strong work ethic and simple tastes in the pleasures of life. He loved spending time with his family, playing chess and tennis, and dancing on occasion with his wife Pamela.
He was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Elizabethton, TN where he served the church in several capacities.
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