MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Harden, Minor, Johnson (19th), Turner, Little, Hamilton, Gollott, Gordon, Tollison, Smith, Horhn

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING CHIEF JUSTICE LENORE L. PRATHER FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS AN HONOREE AT THE MISSISSIPPI WOMAN '99 CONFERENCE.

WHEREAS, Governor and Mrs. Fordice are hosting the third annual conference to recognize women in the state who are outstanding volunteers in their community, which is entitled MISSISSIPPI WOMAN '99: THE "POWER OF ONE"; and

WHEREAS, Chief Justice Lenore Prather of the Mississippi Supreme Court is one of this year's honorees; and

WHEREAS, Justice Prather is a woman of "firsts": she is the first female Chief Justice for the Mississippi Supreme Court, the first female justice and the first woman to hold the Chancellorship in Mississippi, and has influenced the development of the law of equitable distribution of marital assets and Sixteenth Section School Land management law; and

WHEREAS, her biography is highlighted by numerous prestigious appointments and awards: she was inducted into the University of Mississippi "Alumni Hall of Fame" and was selected as the "Ole Miss Law Alumna of the Year," she has received the "Medal of Excellence" and the "Alumni Achievement Award" from Mississippi University for Women, she is a member of Rotary International, is a Paul Harris Fellow, is a member of Junior Auxiliary, is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and has been listed in Who's Who in America since 1984; and

WHEREAS, Lenore's friends call her a "trailblazer" but say she is too modest to see herself in that role; and

WHEREAS, her advice to women "no matter what direction we travel in our careers we should open the door behind us for the women of the next generation, to ensure that women enrich our society even further in the future," and Lenore is proud to be a mother and grandmother and the wife of her late husband, Robert Prather; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize this outstanding volunteer whose service has meant so much to her community and state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Chief Justice Lenore L. Prather for being recognized as an honoree at the MISSISSIPPI WOMAN '99 CONFERENCE.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be presented to Justice Prather and Mrs. Pat Fordice at the conference awards banquet on March 1, 1999, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.