By Staff
August 18, 2002
Dr. Hobart Kornegay Jr. was laid to rest Saturday, the last sign of respect on this earth for an amazingly fruitful life marked by high achievements in his chosen profession  dentistry  and his chosen passions photography, politics and the civil rights movement. He was a leader in the truest sense of the word and his presence and influence on the local scene will be missed.
Dr. Kornegay, who died Wednesday, August 14, 2002, at age 79, was the first African American elected to public office in Lauderdale County, serving with distinction on the Meridian city council for 12 years and for one term on the Lauderdale County board of supervisors. Former Meridian mayor Alfred Rosenbaum, who served in public office with Dr. Kornegay, said: "I treasure our friendship, I respect his memory and I will always remember Hobert as my friend. This friend was a man."
We join today with his family, friends and, perhaps, a few folks in this community who didn't know him, saddened by the death of Dr. Hobart Kornegay but encouraged and heartened by the legacy he leaves. His life was always about high expectations, solid achievement and doing his personal best at every endeavor. He leaves a grand example for others to follow.