MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2018 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Blackmon, Barnett, Butler, Dawkins, Frazier, Horhn, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jordan, Norwood, Simmons (12th), Simmons (13th), Turner-Ford, Witherspoon
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF CANTON POLICE SERGEANT LINDA LYNETTE NICHOLS-LUCKETT, AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS UPON HER PASSING.
WHEREAS, the grand architect of the universe, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny, has summoned the mortal presence of our dearly beloved, Linda Lynette Nichols-Luckett, 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, colleagues and friends; and
WHEREAS, born on October 14, 1963, in West Point, Mississippi, to Ms. Bettye J. Turner and the late Mr. Hyron Anderson, but as fate would lend itself for the total fulfillment of her life, Linda was adopted by Mr. Richard Nichols, Sr., at the age of eight when he assumed the role as her mother's husband, and nurtured her as his own daughter, bestowing upon her the gift of the Nichols' surname, along with integrity premised on the tenets of love, kindness, compassion and a central moral and ethical compass that echoed the heart of the Good Samaritan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Canton and the entirety of Madison County, Mississippi, lost a wonderful friend, people's servant, advocate, community leader, source of ministerial inspiration and champion for justice on January 18, 2018, with the transformation from mortality to spiritual immortality of Sergeant Nichols-Luckett, who was a beacon of light and source of inspiration that shined as brilliantly as the illuminated downtown square of the place she called home, most commonly referred to as the "City of Lights"; and
WHEREAS, from her humble beginnings, Linda, along with her siblings, were the recipients of a stern advocacy for education imparted by their parents, who chronicled her educational successes from her years as an impressionable and inquisitive student at Eastside Elementary and Holy Child Jesus, before she concluded her public education as a member of the 1981 Canton High School graduating class, to pursue her collegiate matriculation at Mary Holmes College, Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Nichols-Luckett began her distinguished career of public service with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, which equipped her for the tactical and the methodical skills necessary for a successful career in law enforcement, which made provision for her transition to the Canton Police Department in 1995, after being hired as a Patrol Officer by acting Assistant Police Chief Vicki McNeil, where her rapport with peers and attention to the detail of proper police protocol and procedure enabled her to quickly ascend the ranks to become Sergeant and Shift Commander; and
WHEREAS, having taken a four-year break from policing to pursue other career opportunities in the insurance profession from 2005-2009, Sergeant Nichols-Luckett ultimately made the fateful decision to return to law enforcement, reunited with the Canton Police Department as a ten-year seasoned veteran, and was quickly promoted to Sergeant, rank-tapped to lead the Property and Evidence Division after undergoing significant training with the United States Department of Labor, as well as serving as second-in-command for accreditation, a capacity served until her untimely departure from this earthly realm; and
WHEREAS, a patron heroine on the battlefront for justice and kingdom-building as an impassioned ordained Minister of the gospel poised to impart spiritual nourishment to give those confronted with various life situations with more faith to continue pressing toward the mark of the prize of the higher calling. Sergeant Nichols-Luckett, who in addition to being a lifelong member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, drew upon the wisdom and invaluable experiences attained over the years of theological study to herald a passion for saving souls as an Associate Minister, Choir Member and Christian Education Worker that would remain her constant; and
WHEREAS, from a disciplined and structured officer of the law to a proselytizing member of the Ecclesiastical gospel, Sergeant Nichols-Luckett's service assembled into a beautiful mosaic of uncontrived humility that spoke voluminously of her innate ability to serve those who entrusted her with the confidences of their safety and their salvation; and
WHEREAS, during the course of her numerous years with the Canton Police Department, Sergeant Nichols-Luckett drew heavily upon her leadership skills and personal relationship with the community in which she lived and worked to ensure her career would be characterized as one of venerable service and selfless humility; 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, including her father, Richard Nichols, Sr.; grandparents: Robert and Ethel B. Hunter-Turner and Willie S. and Blanche H. Nichols; and seven aunts and uncles, including the late esteemed State Senator Bennie L. Turner, the legacy of Sergeant Nichols-Luckett's memory will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of her beloved survivors: daughters, Brittany and Jalesa Nichols; mother, Mrs. Betty J. Turner-Nichols; highly anticipated and expected grandson, Martia Roberts, Jr.; brothers, Benjamin Turner and Richard Nichols, Jr.; sisters, LaDonna Nichols and Monica Branson; and a host of other relatives, colleagues 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, for the former things are passed away and renewed in their faith that Sergeant Nichols-Luckett fulfilled the commandment by having fought a good fight, finishing her course and keeping the faith until the hour of her departure was at hand; and
WHEREAS, Sergeant Nichols-Luckett, an individual of quiet dignity, was a solemn voice of reason, who epitomized the greatest lessons of strength, endurance and devotion to the calls of duty and unmitigated faith, even in the face of adversity, and it is the policy of the Legislature to acknowledge the altruistic embodiment of a woman of distinction who possessed an ambitious spirit as she strove daily to be a woman after God's own heart whose service established the benchmark for the highest standard of excellence as a public servant:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commemorate the life and legacy of public service of Canton Police Sergeant Linda Lynette Nichols-Luckett, to whose family we express our sincere and deepest sympathy.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Sergeant Linda Lynette Nichols-Luckett and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.