Former U.S. Senator Jim Sasser, who also served as ambassador to China, has passed away at the age of 87.
Gray Sasser reported that his father passed away on Tuesday evening at his residence in Chapel Hill, N.C. The cause of death appears to be a heart attack.
In a written statement, Gray Sasser and his sister Elizabeth Sasser expressed their admiration for their father, emphasizing his belief in the noble nature of public service and the transformative influence of government.
Sasser, originally from Memphis, Tennessee, grew up in Nashville. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1958 and went on to complete his legal studies at Vanderbilt Law School in 1961.
He engaged in the practice of law in Nashville and actively participated in Democratic politics. In 1970, he managed the re-election campaign of Sen. Albert Gore Sr., which unfortunately did not succeed. Later on, he served as the chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party from 1973 to 1976. During this time, he sought retribution by winning the Senate election against Brock, who had previously defeated Gore in 1970.
Sasser easily won re-election in both 1982 and 1988 before being defeated by Frist. He holds the distinction of being the final Democrat to represent Tennessee in the Senate.
Following his departure from the Senate, he embarked on a new journey as a fellow at Harvard University.
Sasser’s children fondly described their father, stating, “Dad’s love for his family, the State of Tennessee, his years serving in the US Senate, and old cars was always prioritized in that order.”