House Concurrent Resolution 13

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. BARBARA YVONNE HAMILTON AND EXPRESSING SYMPATHY UPON HER PASSING.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of dearly beloved Dr. Barbara Yvonne Hamilton to rest eternally, rendering great sorrow and loss to her family and friends; and

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi and the City of Jackson, Mississippi, lost a wonderful friend, exceptional community leader, adventurer extraordinaire and elite intellectual with the passing of Dr. Hamilton, who was born to Sylvester and Eula Mae Thames-Hamilton in Chicago, Illinois, on November 25, 1958; and

WHEREAS, after her family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, Barbara attended the Jackson Public School System, where she excelled in the classroom and participated in extracurricular activities such as band and the Murrah Misses Drill Team, and after she graduated as an honor student, she attended Jackson State University, receiving her bachelor of arts in political science before furthering her education at the University of Mississippi, where she earned her master of public administration in 1986; and

WHEREAS, driven by her benevolent desires to educate others and improve the well-being of the world, as well as growing as a person, Barbara began the late nights, tedious lectures and excruciatingly difficult tests that presented her with the opportunity to defend her dissertation and earn her doctor of philosophy degree in educational leadership and administration from Jackson State University in May 2015, where she was also recognized as an Exemplary Doctoral Scholar; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hamilton accepted a job with the Mississippi Legislature Joint Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) in 1988, and during her 28 year tenure, her knowledge and expertise of management theory and organizational development quickly catapulted her to the level of Senior Analyst and Training Coordinator, a role in which she vigorously strived to improve Mississippi through her evaluations of numerous state agency programs and utilizing her research skills on key legislative projects; and

WHEREAS, because she was keen on sharing her intellectual gifts, hopes and dreams for the future of the state and encouraged others to do the same, Barbara's dreams of entrepreneurship led to partnerships in a greeting and novelty business, a magazine and the production of vintage dolls; and

WHEREAS, being the philanthropic and exceptional academic that she was, Barbara has held many key positions and been given many honors throughout her life, in 1978, she was initiated into the Delta Pi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the Mu Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Lambda National Honor Society, Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society, and Phi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, Jacksonian of the Year (1980), Outstanding Young Women in America (1985), and was a member of the Jackson State University Alumni Association, the University of Mississippi Alumni Association and was a founding member of the Central Mississippi Chapter of 100 Black Women; and

WHEREAS, in addition to her work, Dr. Hamilton derived unparalleled joy from traveling the world and exploring destinations both near and far, and her cherished experiences rivaled the most elaborately detailed storybooks, as just in the last year, she had cheered on Venus and Serena Williams at the Wimbledon matches in London, marveled at the amazing architecture in both New York and Chicago, explored Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and gazed in awe at the sparkle of the Eiffel Tower in Paris; and

WHEREAS, when she was not working and traveling, she loved curling up on the couch with her best friend and beloved pet, Nelson, whom she rescued and named after her true hero, Nelson Mandela; researching and writing her new book about helping students weave through the web of college applications; worshipping and having fellowship at Anderson United Methodist Church in Jackson; relaxing as she toiled in her garden of vivacious and exotic plants; and creating new and delicious masterpieces in the kitchen, with none being as great as scrumptious Thanksgiving dinners or famously delectable "Pattie LaBelle Mac and Cheese"; and

WHEREAS, though she has traversed the river of life to reunite with those who answered God's summons to life eternal and now beckon her arrival to the celestial shores of Heaven's grandeur, the legacy of Dr. Hamilton will continue to refresh the hearts and minds of her beloved survivors: her beloved pet, Nelson; brother, Kenneth C. Hamilton; sister, Jan Hamilton; aunt, Ruby Bryant; nieces, Starlyn Marsh, Tonya Goodrum, Alesha Bryant, Melissa Bryant and Kimberlee Bryant; nephew, Kenneth Hamilton, Jr.; great nephew, Camden Hamilton; and numerous cousins, relatives, sorority sisters and a host of other relatives and friends; and

WHEREAS, a God-fearing Christian before all other roles she assumed, Barbara conducted her life as a living embodiment of a woman of Proverbs 31:10 distinction and possessed the ambitious spirit being a woman after God's own heart, she was a mentor, friend, inspiration to others, imparter of goodwill, encourager, motivator and wonderful soul, Dr. Hamilton overflowed with excellence and will be greatly missed not only by her family, her friends and her work colleagues, but also by the countless others who had the opportunity to know her and experience her greatness; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend the lives of fine Mississippians, especially those such as Dr. Barbara Yvonne Hamilton, an exhilarating combination of keen intellect, invigorating wanderlust and uplifting kindness whose educational prowess, globetrotting and warm heart inspired those around her and brought great honor to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commemorate the life and mourn the loss of Dr. Barbara Yvonne Hamilton, and express deepest sympathy to her family and friends upon her passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Dr. Barbara Yvonne Hamilton and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.