House Resolution 116

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE LIFE OF MOTHER LORENE GEE COCKROFT AND CONGRATULATING HER UPON THE OCCASION OF CELEBRATING HER 100TH BIRTHDAY.

WHEREAS, on Tuesday, May 6, 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 remained a fledgling vision in a field of dreams; and

WHEREAS, however, on this date of May 6, 1924, a marvel by the name of Mother Lorene Gee Cockroft was born to her late parents, Mr. Vernon Gee and Mrs. Helen Micou Gee, a precious gift of life and love, who now celebrates the most auspicious occasion of the 100th anniversary of her birth on Monday, May 6, 2024, to be acknowledged on Saturday, May 4, 2024, with a celebration by her family and friends, 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, Mother Cockroft and her seven sisters and five brothers 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 Center Hill Baptist Church in Conway, Mississippi, where she has remained a dedicated member until adulthood, when she joined First Baptist Missionary Baptist Church in Carthage, before ultimately embarking upon the spiritual journey as a founding member of Great Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church where she has been laboring in the Lord's vineyard through her involvement as a Sunday School teacher and member of the Usher Board, Mission and Mother Board, choir and kitchen committee; and

WHEREAS, the nurturing matriarch of her five-generation family dynasty, with whom she and her late husband of 45 years, David Cockroft, were blessed to parent the fruitful addition of three sons, Ted (Joyce), Clarence (Susie) and Winifred (Thelma), 10 grandchildren, and multiple great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, Mother Cockroft 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. Cockroft in making provisions for their expanding family, Mother Cockroft served as cafeteria manager for Conway Vocational School, before ultimately gaining employment as an inspector with the Carthage Corporation, from which she retired in 1985 after rendering 20 remarkable services; and

WHEREAS, a God-fearing Christian before all other roles she assumes, Mother Cockroft 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 continues to be an active member of the community beyond her retirement, 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, whom she shares the Good News with anyone who desires to listen; 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, Mother Cockroft 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 Mother Cockroft, 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 Mother Lorene Gee Cockroft, congratulate her on this most auspicious occasion of celebrating her 100th birthday on May 6, 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 Mother Lorene Gee Cockroft and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.