Bill Text: MS HR17 | 2025 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Mattie Rials; commend life and legacy upon her passing.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2025-02-10 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HR17 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2025-HR17-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2025 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Porter, Mims, Cockerham, Pigott
House Resolution 17
(As Adopted by House)
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE, SERVICE AND LEGACY OF MRS. MATTIE RIALS AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY UPON HER PASSING.
WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, on January 13, 2025, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Mattie Jane Gardner Rials, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to her family, friends and tricounty community; and
WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi and particularly, Pike, Amite and Walthall Counties, lost a loving mother, grandmother and renowned storyteller with the passing of longtime children's librarian, Miss Mattie, as she was affectionately known to all, who was born on May 28, 1933, in McComb, Mississippi, to James E. Gardner and Gladys McElveen Gardner and later married to Roger B. Rials; and
WHEREAS, Miss Mattie, always having had a gentle and loving spirit that naturally drew people to her, began her lifelong service to others when she started teaching Bible School classes at the young age of 15, and in 1965, Miss Mattie opened a kindergarten in the garage of her home where her infectious wit and charm cultivated a thirst for knowledge in the minds of her impressionable young students as day after day, she honed her storytelling talent; and
WHEREAS, after closing her kindergarten in 1974, Miss Mattie began a 45-year career as the children's librarian with the Pike-Walthall-Amite Library System in McComb, creating a magical world for children of all ages through storytelling and music with the help of her indispensable but never seen little companion, Scooter Mouse, who supplied voices for her captivating stories while living in the walls of the library and riding a motorcycle through the endless stacks of books during the night; and
WHEREAS, Scooter Mouse garnered attention far beyond southwest Mississippi, having won The John Cotton Dana Award for outstanding library public relations from the American Library Association in 1976, in addition to helping Miss Mattie gain further recognition as the first recipient of the Kaigler-Lamont Award presented by the Children's Book Festival in 1998; and
WHEREAS, while Miss Mattie's famed weekly Story Hour and Monday "Lap Chats" for toddlers were the doorway for countless children into the world of reading and learning, her Wednesday Friends group, a weekly gathering of special friends for arts and crafts which won national recognition as the longest-running program for the developmentally and intellectually disabled, welcomed countless participants over the decades to a place offering belonging, creativity and joy; and
WHEREAS, Miss Mattie officially retired from the library system in 2018, but her positive influence on kids and the entire community continued up until her death as she regularly volunteered at the library and around town; and
WHEREAS, today, the immeasurable impact Miss Mattie had over generations of children in the McComb area for nearly half a century lives on with the Miss Mattie Foundation, a nonprofit organization formed to honor Miss Mattie and her passionate educational and community service contributions through its mission of raising funds and awarding scholarships to deserving high school students from Pike, Amite and Walthall Counties; and
WHEREAS, Miss Mattie's loving spirit, sunny demeanor and steadfast commitment to education and inclusion earned her the admiration, love and respect of all who had the privilege of knowing her, leaving a legacy of kindness and inspiration that will endure for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, it is most appropriate to recognize and honor the lives of selfless Mississippians, especially those such as Miss Mattie, whose tireless contributions to the community in which she lived profoundly enriched the cultural and educational fabric of southwest Mississippi and the entire State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commemorate the life and legacy of Mattie Jane Gardner Rials and express deepest sympathy to her family, friends and the entire Pike, Amite and Walthall County community upon her passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mattie Jane Gardner Rials, the Pike-Amite-Walthall Library System and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
