A house RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE Ellon Vivian Gilliard Bacote OF Darlington COUNTY ON THE OCCASION OF HER ninety-third BIRTHDAY AND TO WISH HER A JOYOUS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND MANY YEARS OF CONTINUED HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are delighted to learn that Ellon Vivian Gilliard Bacote of Darlington County will celebrate her ninety-third birthday on February 13, 2025; and

Whereas, born on February 13, 1932, in the first third of the twentieth century, she has witnessed the many remarkable social changes, technological advancements, and international developments that have spanned the globe from that time into the first quarter of the twenty-first century; and

Whereas, the daughter of the late Jasper and Ella Robinson Gilliard, Vivian spent her formative years in and around Darlington County, learning her work ethic in the cotton and tobacco fields that were prevalent at the time and believing that anything worth having is a result of hard work. By helping her mother in the home, she learned to cook and clean, and she was well-equipped to care for her own family successfully; and

Whereas, Mrs. Bacote's formal education was through the teachings at Wesley Chapel, a far distance for her to walk to get there, but because education was always important to her, she trucked those miles willingly. She graduated from Butler High School and continued her education in cosmetology in Charlotte, North Carolina, and in floral design at Florence Darlington Technical College; and

Whereas, together with her childhood sweetheart who became her husband, Wilbur "Pete" Bacote, she reared three fine daughters: Janice Wilburetta, Patricia Lynn, and Stephanie Elayne; and

Whereas, Mrs. Bacote was actively employed by The Pyramid/Nytronics manufacturing company during which time she became a Civil Rights activist under the direction of Arthur "Man" Stanley, then president of the Darlington Branch of the NAACP; and

Whereas, she was employed at Dixie Plate, later Georgia Pacific, manufacturing company and retired from Union Carbide/ESAB. After her retirement, she became an entrepreneur and operated a home-based floral design business; and

Whereas, a lifelong and faithful member of Wesley Chapel, Mrs. Bacote was active in her church, holding various positions in the past and now serving as the mother of her beloved Wesley Chapel; and

Whereas, her hobbies include sewing, shopping, and travelling. She says that she has been a "road sport," having travelled to California a few times, up and down the East Coast, to Mexico, and to the Bahamas. Her activities are now mostly geared toward shopping with her daughters, sharing wisdom with friends, and keeping mentally fit by reading her Bible and solving word puzzles; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to honor this daughter of South Carolina at the celebration of her ninety-third birthday and join with her family and friends in congratulating her on reaching this extraordinary milestone. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate  Ellon Vivian Gilliard Bacote of Darlington County on the occasion of her ninety-third birthday and wish her a joyous birthday celebration and many years of continued health and happiness.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to that Ellon Vivian Gilliard Bacote.

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