House Resolution 28

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MR. MELVIN FORD AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS 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 11, 2021, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved, Mr. Melvin Ford, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family and

friends; and

WHEREAS, born on October 14, 1933, to Mr. Roy and Mrs. Mavourleen Badley Ford, Melvin matured into a loving man, husband, father, grandfather and educator, who touched the hearts and enlightened the minds of all of his students and positively influenced generations of Yalobushans; and

WHEREAS, after high school graduation, he attended Delta State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree, and furthered his academic achievements at Memphis State University, where he earned a master's degree in education; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ford was a lifelong educator with a distinguished thirty-year career in teaching, who also provided administrative leadership as the principal of Davidson Elementary, and later provided further academic guidance when he was elected the Yalobusha County Superintendent of Education; and

WHEREAS, even after retiring from academia, Melvin found a way to serve others by becoming a banker and earning the position of bank manager at the Peoples Bank & Trust; and

WHEREAS, because Melvin believed in giving back to the community that had given so much to him, he always found time to volunteer, as evidenced by his service as the organizer, charter member, former president, and life member of the Water Valley Ambassadors, as a member of the Rotary Club, former president of the Lions Club, and past president of the Water Valley Chamber of Commerce, where he was awarded the Chamber's Braswell Hatching Award for community service; and

WHEREAS, a man of faith and conviction, Mr. Martin was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Water Valley, where he spent many years volunteering as a Sunday School teacher, singing in the choir, and serving as a member of the church's administrative board; and

WHEREAS, though he has traversed the river of life to reunite with those who answered God's summons to life eternal and now beckon his arrival to the celestial shores of Heaven's grandeur, such as his beloved wife of 53 years, Cecil, and his five brothers, John Ford, Charles Ford, Roy Ford, James Ford and Raymond Ford, that the legacy of Mr. Ford's indelible imprint upon our lives will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of the ones he left here on earth to cherish him, such as his daughter, Margie; one granddaughter, Hannah Cook; and his twin brother, Marvin Ford; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ford will forever be loved, cherished and missed by all who knew him, and since it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," his family and friends can find peace and comfort during this difficult time; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend the lives of outstanding Mississippians, especially educators and public servants, such as Mr. Ford, who influenced generations of Mississippians:

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 Mr. Melvin Ford, and express sincere and deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Mr. Melvin Ford and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.