Virginia Town Crier

Former State Sen. Fred Quayle, very Suffolk and very Republican, slipped away from us a week ago. He died after a short illness at the age of 82, and I was sorry to see him go. To put it simply, Fred was a good guy.

And a fine lawmaker.

The two can go together and should. Quayle’s approach to public service might even offer a useful example to the Virginia GOP (and Democrats, too) — useful, that is, to holding their own in the Virginia General Assembly.

The state Senate is set up well for Fred’s game. Its more calming atmosphere, granting the same amount of floor space to 40 elected hardies that the Virginia House affords 100, fit Quayle’s style just fine. Here was a man who was level, decent, informed and, above all else, honest.

Of course, the Eagle Scout narrative of Quayle’s life might have emerged from some strange community genetics. I offer this as a possibility, because Suffolk has been regularly kicking out sterling public servants for a while now.

There’s Suffolk-native Gov. Mills E. Godwin, for instance, a man of towering influence in Virginia’s 20th century political development. There’s also former Mayor Dana Dickens — a stalwart for the entire region — and Del. Chris Jones, the able, current House Appropriations Committee chairman.

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