House Resolution 84

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE LIFE OF MRS. MILDRED "MADEA" FIELDS CASSIDY AND CONGRATULATING HER UPON THE OCCASION OF CELEBRATING HER 100TH BIRTHDAY.

WHEREAS, on Tuesday, April 8, 1924, Calvin Coolidge was in early stages of campaigning in preparation for his first full term as President of the United States; Henry L. Whitfield was in the first year of his term as Governor of the State of Mississippi after narrowly beating Theodore Bilbo; electricity was decades away from rural Mississippi; and mechanized farming was only a fledgling vision in a field of dreams; and

WHEREAS, however, on this date of April 8, 1924, a marvel by the name of Mrs. Mildred "Madea" Fields Cassidy was born to her late parents, Mr. Tony Fields, Sr., and Mrs. Marie Bozeman Fields, a precious gift of life and love, who now celebrates the most auspicious occasion of the 100th anniversary of her birth on Monday, April 8, 2024, with her family and friends in an acknowledgment celebration on Saturday, April 6, 2024, honoring her motherhood, service and longevity of life that has blessed the lives of an entire community beyond the doors of her own home, and which serves as a benefactor of knowledge, creativity and life experiences shared with all; and

WHEREAS, from her humble beginnings in Terry, Mississippi, "Madea," as she is affectionately known, along with her siblings, Maggie, Ruth, Tony Jr., Jennie Louise, Charleston and Levorn Richard, were raised on a system of integrity premised on the tenets of love, kindness and compassion imparted by her parents, who instilled a central moral compass that echoed the heart of the Good Samaritan and core ethical values encompassed in the importance of work, family, community and the love of God, and confessed an early hope in Christ and ultimately uniting in Christian fellowship with the Collis Hill Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A., where she has remained a faithful and dedicated member laboring in the Lord's vineyard through her active involvement with the choir, United Christian Women's Ministry (UCWM), kitchen committee and cemetery committee; and

WHEREAS, the nurturing matriarch of her family dynasty, with whom she and her late husband, Marcus Cassidy, were blessed to parent the fruitful addition of 11 children, 21 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and ten great-great-grandchildren, Mrs. Cassidy lives her life in a prioritized manner with God first, followed by her family and community, and understands the magnitude of shouldering the weight of responsibility in being a provider and protector of others; and

WHEREAS, assisting Mr. Cassidy in making provisions for their expanding family, "Madea" began her working career as a domestic, and later joining the cooking staff of Perryman Junior High School, before ultimately gaining employment with Jackson Public Schools as a cook and from which she retired after rendering remarkable services; and

WHEREAS, a God-fearing Christian before all other roles she assumes, Mrs. Cassidy possesses an ambitious spirit likened to that of King David, as a woman seeking after God's own heart, committed to her faith and her family, and continued to be an active member of the community beyond her retirement through her participation at the Senior Citizen's Center and the Head Start Center, all the while remaining the archetype icon and central foundation of a family that retains an unbreakable bond of love, honor, devotion, commitment and encouragement, and crediting the gift of her longevity by maintaining a strong faith in God, along with a daily dose of Blue Bell ice cream and not worrying about those things over which she has no control; and

WHEREAS, as one of the newest Mississippians to join the Centenarian Club by virtue of achieving the God-gifted age of 100, having lived in two centuries, including the hardship of the Great Depression, "Madea" has seen America change from an agrarian society to an advanced technological industrial giant, and on her watch, she has seen 18 United States Presidents and 25 Magnolia State Governors; and

WHEREAS, it is most fitting to commend the life of such a remarkable individual as Mrs. Cassidy, who still exudes the gentle strength that has sustained her throughout this journey, and whose life is a testament to God's promise of longevity as a reward to those who diligently seek him and obey his will:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the life and longevity of Mrs. Mildred "Madea" Fields Cassidy, congratulate her on this most auspicious occasion of celebrating her 100th birthday on April 8, 2024, and express sincere wishes for many more years of continued health, love, joy and happiness.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mrs. Mildred "Madea" Fields Cassidy and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.