Billy Joe Rish (September 10, 1932 – May 17, 2008) was an American politician. He served as a Democratic member for the

8th 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...

and 9th district of the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...

Life and career

Rish was born in Wewahitchka, Florida, the son of Lucy and Roy P. Rish. He attended

Wewahitchka High School Wewahitchka High School is located in Wewahitchka in Gulf County, Florida Gulf County is a county located in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,192. Its county seat is Port St. Joe. Gulf ...

, the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

and the

University of Florida Levin College of Law The University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law (UF Law) is the law school of the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest operating public law school in Florida, and second oldest overall ...

. In 1970, Rish was elected to represent the

8th district 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of the ...

of the

, succeeding John Robert Middlemas. He served until 1972, when he was succeeded by

Earl Hutto Earl Dewitt Hutto (May 12, 1926 – December 14, 2020) was an American politician who served as U.S. Representative from Florida's 1st congressional district. Early life Born in Midland City, Alabama, Hutto attended Dale County public schools, ...

. In the same year, he was elected to represent the 9th district, succeeding Joe Chapman. He served until 1978, when he was succeeded by

Leonard J. Hall Leonard J. Hall (born January 23, 1943) was an American politician in the state of Florida. Hall was born in Tifton, Georgia and came to Florida in 1950. He served in the Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives ...

. Rish died in May 2008, at the age of 75.

References

1932 births 2008 deaths People from Wewahitchka, Florida Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives 20th-century American legislators University of Florida alumni Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni 20th-century Florida politicians {{Florida-politician-stub