House Resolution 34

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING MRS. BEATRICE "BEBE" RICHARDSON UPON HER RETIREMENT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER AFTER 50 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICES IN THE NURSING FIELD.

WHEREAS, Mrs. Beatrice "Bebe" Richardson, a native of Attala County, Mississippi, the daughter of Lester and Mabel Reeves, has retired from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) after 50 years of service as a practicing nurse and nursing administrator; and

WHEREAS, a resident of Jackson, Mississippi, Mrs. Richardson grew up in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and upon her graduation from high school attended college in New Orleans, Louisiana, earning her nursing diploma at Mather School of Nursing in 1952; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Richardson immediately began working as an operating room staff nurse in New Orleans, before becoming head pediatric nurse at Baptist Medical Center in Jackson in 1953; and

WHEREAS, working in nearly every aspect of nursing, from private offices to medical centers, from the OR to the ER to administration, Mrs. Richardson's adept professionalism, warmth and compassionate spirit will be greatly missed from gracing the halls of the UMC corridors; and

WHEREAS, a distinguished alumna of Mississippi College, where she earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing in 1983 and her master's in health science/health care in 1987, Mrs. Richardson, in the course of her career, has supervised the 1,100 nurses at UMC and led the nursing staffs at the Women's Hospital and Baptist Medical Center; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Richardson has received several awards such as the coveted S. Douglas Smith Quorum Excellence Award in 1998, which is given to only four individuals nationwide for maintaining a professional and personal commitment to excellence, and upon her retirement, the UMC administrative conference was renamed "The Bebe Richardson Conference Room" in honor of her many years of dedication to the hospital; and

WHEREAS, throughout her every endeavor, Mrs. Richardson has enjoyed the loving and faithful support of her husband, Bob Richardson; and her two children, Scott Richardson and Jan Hagen; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives of the State of Mississippi to recognize and commend such outstanding Mississippians as Mrs. Richardson, who has strived diligently to promote the health and wellness of the citizens of Mississippi, as well as provided an example for others in the field of nursing and medical expertise to follow:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Mrs. Beatrice "Bebe" Richardson for leaving a warm and lasting legacy at UMC upon her retirement after 50 years of dedicated service in the field of nursing, and extend to her our heartiest wishes for many more years of good health, peace and happiness and success in all her future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Mrs. Beatrice "Bebe" Richardson and the members of the Capitol Press Corps.