Legislator succumbs to injuries
“There was this time (at Alfred) he had to arrest young man from Canisteo,” Myrtle Jamison said. “Well, he saw the fella later and he came over to Tiny and said ‘Thank you, Chief, you made me a better person.’”
By Mary Perham The Leader

Jamison

BATH — Flags at all Steuben County office buildings were flown at half-staff Monday in memory of a sitting legislator and dedicated policeman who died Monday morning.

Lldon “Tiny” Jamison, 75, of Canisteo, died at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, where he had been treated since an Aug. 20 accident in Yates County.

He had been injured in an accident near Seneca Lake that killed 11-year-old Julia Kasprzyk and injured her father, 46-year-old John Kasprzyk, both of Oriskany. Jamison suffered head and internal injuries in the crash, and remained hospitalized until his death.

Jamison was serving his second term as legislator after his appointment to the board in 2005, succeeding Dr. Stoner Horey as representative of Canisteo, Cameron and Thurston.

“He loved it,” said his wife, Myrtle Jamison. “He lived for it. He got along with the whole Legislature and that was such a plus.”

A one-time president of the state Association of Police Chiefs and former police chief in Canisteo and Alfred, Jamison was vice chairman of the Legislature’s Public Safety and Corrections Committee. He was also a member of the Agriculture, Industry and Planning, and Health and Education committees.

His legislative colleagues and friends remembered him for his wit, decency and dedication to law enforcement.

“He brought his experience to not only the sheriff ’s department, but probation and others as well,” said Legislature Chairman Philip Roche. “He had a keen understanding of those issues. But beyond that, he could always get below the surface.”

Steuben County Court Judge Joseph Latham said Jamison was known in his community as a good and generous man.

“He had a very wide variety of experience,” Latham said. “As chief of police in a college town you have to be on your toes … But you know, after awhile, some law enforcement people get a pretty jaundiced view of humanity. He just could always believe the best of people.”

That belief in people sometimes paid dividends, his wife said Monday.

“There was this time (at Alfred) he had to arrest young man from Canisteo,” Myrtle Jamison said. “Well, he saw the fella later and he came over to Tiny and said ‘Thank you, Chief, you made me a better person.’”

Jamison also was active in civic groups, including the Canisteo Civic and Rotary clubs, Western New York Chief’s Association, Canisteo American Legion, Southern Tier Extension Rail Authority, school Alumni Association, Canisteo Historical Society and the county Republican Committee.

The search for Jamison’s successor is likely to begin soon, although no replacement will be named until some time next year, said Steuben County Republican Chairman William Hatch.

Hatch said Republican committees in the three towns will meet and interview candidates. Since Jamison’s accident, a number of people in the district have indicated interest in the post in the event he was unable to continue, Hatch said.

After the towns have agreed on a successor, Hatch will forward the name to Roche for legislative approval, he said.

“That won’t be done by the beginning of the year, what with the holidays,” Hatch said Monday. “There’s no rush.”

Survivors include his wife and three sons, Jeffrey Jamison, of Livonia; Bruce

Jamison, of Canisteo; and Terry Jamison, of Churchville.

A memorial honoring Jamison will be read into the record when the Legislature meets Dec. 18, said Clerk of the Legislature Christine Kane.

Roche said legislators will miss Jamison, who brought his peace-keeping skills to the county board, too.

“When the debates got heated, he’d toss in one of his one-liners, everybody would laugh, and get back to the business at hand,” Roche said. “He will be missed.”