Bill Text: MS HR94 | 2017 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Mrs. Mollie Blackmon; mourn the loss and commend the life and legacy of upon her passing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-03-28 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HR94 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2017-HR94-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Scott
House Resolution 94
(As Adopted by House)
A RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND CHRISTIAN SERVICE OF MRS. MOLLIE BENNETT BLACKMON AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HER PASSING.
WHEREAS, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, the grand architect of the universe, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny, has summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Mrs. Mollie Bennett Blackmon, to eternal rest, as she has made life's final transition from earthly travailing to heavenly reward, rendering great sorrow and loss to her family and friends; and
WHEREAS, the City of Canton and the entire population of Madison County lost a wonderful friend, icon and humanitarian with the passing of Mrs. Blackmon, the matriarch of her family and a selfless imparter of hope, life and light, who was born on February 26, 1919, in the rural Madison County Community of Farmhaven, to her beloved mother, Miss Alice Clanton and her late father, Hal Bennett, who predeceased her birth; and
WHEREAS, from humble beginnings of an uncommonly transitional childhood due to her mother's passing only four years after her birth, which created an impractical period of shifting residences from her maternal grandparents to a cousin's and back to Farmhaven again with Aunt Daisy, before it was destined that the young and academically-inclined Mollie would find her home in Pickens, Mississippi, with her Aunt Ophelia Leonard, whose wise counsel encouraged her to expand her religious experience and academic horizons; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Blackmon's persistent enlightenment in the basic educational rudiments and the ethical values encompassed in the importance of work, family, community and the love of God, were honed after her graduation from Canton's Cameron Street High School before advancing her matriculation with postsecondary degrees from Jackson State University with a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in guidance counseling, which prepared her for an epic career journey in the educational field on the elementary, secondary and collegiate levels as a teacher, guidance counselor, Assistant Dean of Students at the prestigious Tougaloo College, and ultimately breaking the glass ceiling in history-making fashion to become the first African-American guidance counselor at Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, one who relied heavily on her faith, Mrs. Blackmon's
kingdom-building commitment remained consistent throughout her Christian service and patronage in life, reflecting her passion for God through her commitment to assisting others and her Christ-like care and concern for the body of Christ as a member of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church for more than 65 years; and
WHEREAS, as fate would lend itself to the building upon the blueprint divinely designed for the pattern of her life by the god-head of the Great Deity, Mrs. Blackmon's heart was pierced by the love, chivalry and affection of childhood sweetheart, Thomas Evans, and the duo became bone of one another's bone and flesh of one another's flesh after exchanging the nuptials of holy matrimony during Mr. Evans' tenure of military service during World War II, a union that would be endeared with the blessing of one son, Jessie, only to be abbreviated by Mr. Evans' demise four years after being injured in combat; and
WHEREAS, in his divine providential plan for our lives, God deemed it fitting to mend the broken heart of Mrs. Blackmon and restore it to a wholesome vessel, when destiny orchestrated that Mr. Edward Blackmon, Sr., a fellow Cantonian and World War II veteran, would find in her his good thing, and charismatically made her his wife, sharing in life's momentous occasions with the addition of two sons, Edward Jr., and Stanley, until the earthly presence of Mr. Blackmon was summoned to life in eternal paradise; and
WHEREAS, a god-fearing Christian before all other roles she assumed, a devoted wife and nurturing mother and grandmother next, Mrs. Blackmon was the living embodiment of a woman of Proverbs 31:10 distinction and possessed the ambitious spirit akin to that of King David, to be a woman after God's own heart, instilling those same values into the lineal fabric of her three sons and grandchildren as well as the countless lives of children into whom she poured her infinite wisdom as an educator, in a manner reminiscent to that of Mary of Bethany, whose humility and gratitude were signified through the washing and anointing of Jesus' feet; and
WHEREAS, in Mrs. Blackmon's transfiguration from mortality to immortality, she now adorns the raiment of a spiritual bride, awaiting the bridegroom's return in holy anticipation of that wondrous event, as it is written in the book of Revelation 21:1-7: "And I saw a new Heaven and a new earth: for the first Heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Blackmon's earthly departure can be summarized in the joyful lyrics to Janie West Metzgar's "Where the Roses Never Fade":
"I am going to a city, where the streets with gold are laid; Where the tree of life is blooming and the roses never fade.
Here they bloom but for a season, soon their beauty is decayed. I am going to a city, where the roses never fade. Loved ones gone to be with Jesus, in their robes of white arrayed; Now are waiting for my coming, where the roses never fade.
Here they bloom but for a season, soon their beauty is decayed. I am going to a city, where the roses never fade"; and
WHEREAS, though she has traversed the river of life to reunite with those who answered God's summons to life eternal and now beckon her arrival to the celestial shores of Heaven's grandeur, the legacy of Mrs. Blackmon's memory, which if put to music, would be a majestic symphonic masterpiece composed by the Holy Trinity, will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of her beloved survivors, including: sons, Jessie L. (Sherry) Evans, Edward (Barbara) Blackmon, Jr., and Stanley (Gloria) Blackmon; nine grandchildren, Wesley (Deborah) Evans, Dana Evans, Janessa Blackmon, Justin (LaKisha) Walker, Ashley Blackmon, Madison Edward Blackmon, Lawrence Stephan Blackmon, Bradford Jerome Blackmon and Stanley Edward Blackmon; four great-grandchildren, Enyla Chenise Blackmon, Madeline Evans, Kaitlyn Walker and Summer Rae Blackmon; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends; and
WHEREAS, we encourage the family to find solace from the overwhelming sadness created by the earthly departure of their beloved family member in Revelation 21:4, wherein is recorded, "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" and renewed in their faith that Mrs. Blackmon fulfilled the commandment of II Timothy 4:7 by having fought a good fight, finishing her course and keeping the faith until the hour of her departure was at hand; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to take momentary pause to respectfully acknowledge the ember of light that was Mrs. Blackmon's life, which illuminated the paths of every individual encountered along her earthly travailing and sojourn:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby mourn the loss, commemorate the life and legacy of Mrs. Mollie Bennett Blackmon, whose life was a fragrant rose adorning the Heavenly Father's botanical garden of this earth's mortal dressing room, permeating the atmosphere with her beauty and aroma, and express sincere and deepest sympathy to our friend and colleague, the Honorable Representative Edward Blackmon, Jr., and the entire Blackmon and Evans families upon her passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to each of her surviving three sons and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
