Former Tennessee state Senator Ray Albright has died at the age of 83.
He served one term in the state House in 1969 before serving a long tenure in the Senate.
A native of Paint Rock, Ala., he graduated from Central High School and Vanderbilt School of Banking.
He joined United Bank in 1970 and later was senior vice president of Union Planters National Bank.
A Republican, while in the House he sponsored a bill prohibiting discrimination against entrance into schools based on race, creed, religion or national origin.
He was appointed by President Richard Nixon to the President's Committee on Environment after sponsoring a bill to require a certain percentage of recycled steel be used in bridges.
Senator Albright sponsored a bill changing the local technical school to Chattanooga State Technical Community College.
The original building at the college is named for him.
He was a plaintiff in a lawsuit in connection with the disease mesothelioma caused by asbestos materials. He said he contracted the disease while working at Combustion Engineering making covers for boilers.
He said as part of his job, he cut through steel and asbestos-containing materials.
Private services were planned.