House Resolution 34

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE ESTEEMED CAREER AND PUBLIC SERVICE OF MRS. DIANE TYNER ASHLEY RENDERED TO THE CITIZENS OF MISSISSIPPI AS ASSISTANT CLERK OF THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND CONGRATULATING HER UPON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, after nearly 31 years of dedicated and zealous service to the Mississippi House of Representatives and the entire constituency of the 122 elected members which comprise the House's body, Mrs. Diane Tyner Ashley will retire from public service as Assistant Clerk on February 5, 2019, where she has become a synonymous fixture associated with the legislative activity on the West Wing of the Mississippi State Capitol's third floor, after having first begun her prestigious career as a committee assistant on May 23, 1988; and

WHEREAS, a native of Mississippi's little Hollywood, commonly referred to as the "City of Lights," but more formally known as Canton, Mississippi, born to Mr. Weldon and Mrs. Dorothy Tyner, Diane and her siblings, Mitch and Vicki, were instilled with the core principals that hard work and living a life of respect and integrity, grounded in faith and a superior educational foundation were the formula for a successful life; and

WHEREAS, equipped with the essential life tools imparted by her parents, Diane, after graduating from Canton Academy, furthered her collegiate matriculation at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she attained both her bachelor's and master's degrees; and

WHEREAS, upon her arrival at the Mississippi State Capitol in 1988, Diane initially served the House as a committee assistant to former Representatives Dick Livingston, Terry Brown, Isaiah Fredericks, Charles L. Young Sr. and Tyrone Ellis for the committees on Constitution, Public Property (formerly Public Buildings and Grounds), Public Utilities, Municipalities, and Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (formerly Game and Fish); and

WHEREAS, a stellar employee and a proven invaluable asset to the House's systems of operation and functionality, Diane's exceptional performance in her committee assistant capacity garnered her much admiration and respect of her chairmen, fellow colleagues as well as the House Leadership, and afforded her the opportunity to be meritoriously promoted to the Clerk's office as Assistant Clerk in 1995, and her consistency in performance has never waivered from the date of her initial hire until her decision to conclude her prestigious legislative career; and

WHEREAS, from her post on the House dais, overlooking the beautifully adorned chamber, Diane has witnessed the evolution of state history unfold in the shape of policy formulated by legislators, future governors, other statewide elected officials, congressmen and those who have transitioned to legislative careers to municipal leadership and judiciary membership; and

WHEREAS, equally committed to the art of literary writing as she is to the citizens of this state, Diane, who witnessed John Grisham pen his first novel while sitting in the House Chamber, and being inspired to published her first literary work in 2008, in the form of a novella contained in the collected entitled "A Connecticut Christmas," which made the CBA and ECPA best sellers' list in addition to being a finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Book of the Year contest in 2009; and

WHEREAS, having struck a chord of success in her newfound niche for fiction writing, Diane and her friend, mentor and co-writer, Aaron McCarver, completed six historic novels for Barbour Publishing's Heartsong Presents, and penned the trilogy "Song of the River" before her second Christmas novella hit the best sellers' list in 2011 and positioned her to win the 2012 ACFW Carol Award; and

WHEREAS, not to have a life with complete dimension and total fulfillment, Diane discovered an ever abounding love when she met her soul mate, Gene Ashley, in 1999, and solidified that bond when they exchanged nuptials in 2002, in what would become the most enlightening years of her life, in a romance of 13 years that further expounded upon the tenets of love, generosity and selflessness shared between the two; and

WHEREAS, in the wake and emotional aftermath of Gene's unexpected death in November 2012, Diane had to rediscover her literary voice, and with a lot of prayer, divine guidance from God and emotional and spiritual support from family and friends, she stepped out on faith, sold her central Mississippi home and relocated to the beautiful and serene Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2014, where she recovered and once again immersed herself in her writing, which proved to be both cathartic and challenging; and

WHEREAS, much to the credit of Diane's indomitable spirit, adversity could not impede her ability to remain resilient in the performance of fulfilling her duties and responsibilities to the House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to acknowledge outstanding Mississippians such as Diane Tyner Ashley, one we are proud to call our own, whose daily presence in the halls of the Capitol will be sorely missed but whose legacy of selflessness, fairness, hard work, professionalism and overall commitment to improving the individual lives of others and her community and state, has made an indelible mark on the Mississippi Legislature and all those who have been privileged to know and work with her:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the esteemed career and public service that Diane Tyner Ashley rendered to the citizens of Mississippi as Assistant Clerk of the House of Representatives, congratulate her upon the occasion of her retirement from public service and extend warmest wishes for continued success in all of her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mrs. Diane Tyner Ashley and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.