Senate Concurrent Resolution 550

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMENDING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MRS. MARY ALMA CHESS KING, AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HER PASSING.

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi lost a wonderful friend, community leader, Christian and educator on Sunday, January 20, 2013, with the passing of Mrs. Mary Alma Chess King; and

WHEREAS, Mary Alma King was born in rural Washington County, Mississippi, and is virtually a lifelong resident of Greenville, Mississippi; she and her husband, the late Bishop Wendell King, served the City of Greenville, she as an educator in the Greenville public schools, and he as a mail carrier for the United States Postal Service; and

WHEREAS, Mary Alma King and Bishop Wendell King reared five children: Ester Marian King Dorsett, a retired Greenville teacher; Helen King Cartlidge, still an active teacher in Greenville; Wendell Lewis King, a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army; former Representative Leslie Darnell King, an attorney and Appeals Court Judge; and Michael Leonard King, an attorney; and

WHEREAS, Mary Alma King's father and mother, a sharecropper and schoolteacher, respectively, with meager resources, educated young Mary Chess and her six brothers and sisters; Mary attended Elementary School Number 7 in Greenville through the sixth grade, Junior High School Number 2 through the eighth grade and she graduated from Coleman High School in 1933; she received her AB Degree from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1937; and she obtained her Master's Degree from Tennessee State University in Nashville in 1960; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. King began her teaching career at Spay High School in Choctaw County in 1937; she taught at Carroll County Agricultural High School in 1939 and 1940; she taught at Lucy Webb Elementary School in Washington County, beginning in 1940; after obtaining her Master's Degree, she returned to Leland where she taught English at Breisch High School; she returned to Coleman High School in Greenville, teaching there until the school system was desegregated and ended her teaching career at Greenville High School in 1978; and

WHEREAS, she was the longest tenured member of St. Matthews A.M.E. Church, which she served in many capacities, including the Director of the Allen Christian Endeavor League, Sunday School teacher, member of the Turner Missionary Society, missionary teacher and stewardess, and her work demonstrated her belief in, and support of, God's teachings; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. King's greatest joy was seeing young people eager to learn and doing well as adults and as parents, and her life is a living testimony of the impact that she has had on the lives of so many young people and on the State of Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, in March 2011, the Greenville Arts Council recognized her unique contribution to education with its Arts in Education Award, and in presenting her with the award, the Arts Council offered these insights into her commitment and motivation: "She was dedicated to her students, teaching classes during the day and spending her afternoons working with students after school to practice plays, operettas and poetic presentations. If the school's hours were not enough, she invited students into her home for one-on-one practice. Even during her busy teaching schedule, Mary Alma found time to empower her students and broaden their perspective on the importance of education and the arts. Children were always foremost in her mind; she wanted them to be able to function in an ever-changing society"; and

WHEREAS, her beloved survivors are two daughters: Esther (Ira) Dorsett and Helen Cartlidge; three sons: Colonel Wendell (Hazel) King, Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Leslie (Patricia) King and Attorney Michael (Brenda) King; 10 grandchildren: Arthur Cartlidge, Jr., Ira (Denise) Dorsett, Dr. Michaela King, Byron Cartlidge, Darnielle King-Duncan, Jonathan (Cerise) King, Meredith King, Bethany King, Mallori King and Colin King; 9 great-grandchildren: Alexia, Amber, Mara, Ira III, Byron, Jayden, Aniyah, Chandler and Mikelty; one great-great-grandchild, Alex; sister, Barbara Gaston; one special friend, Phalange Word; one godson, George P. Johnson; her loyal and devoted caregivers, Denita Wilson, Ethel Murray, Mary O'Neal and Carrie Henry; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, students, and church members:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the loss and commemorate the life and legacy of Mrs. Mary Alma Chess King, to whose family we express sincere and deepest sympathy.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the family of Mrs. King and made available to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.