Senate Resolution 18

(As Adopted by Senate)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE AND EXTENDING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO THE BEREAVED FAMILY OF RESPECTED GREENVILLE CITIZEN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY ACTIVIST RUTHIE MAE RANSOM MORRIS.

WHEREAS, it is with sadness that we learned of the passing of respected Mississippi Delta Citizen and Democratic Party Activist Mrs. Ruthie Mae Ransom Morris; and

WHEREAS, Ruthie Mae Ransom Morris was born on October 24, 1942, in Leland, Mississippi, to Henry Parker Ransom, Sr., and Blanche Johnson Ransom. She was the sixth of their ten children; and

WHEREAS, Ruthie accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized under the leadership of her uncle, Reverend Clarence Johnson, who was the Founder and Senior Pastor of the Shady Grove South Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, Mississippi. During her years at Shady Grove South Missionary Baptist Church, Ruthie sang in the Senior Choir, typed and printed the Church Bulletins, organized special events, and served as a trusted confidant and adviser to Reverend Clarence Johnson as well as to his successor, Pastor Solomon B. Miller; and

WHEREAS, in 1997, Ruthie joined Agape Storge Christian Center under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Paul Williams, who was a lifelong family friend and former member of Shady Grove South Missionary Baptist Church. During her years at Agape Storge Christian Center, Ruthie served as a Greeter before answering God's call to become an Ordained Minister. In 2011, Ruthie obtained her Minister's License after graduating from the Agape Storge Christian Center School of Ministry. She faithfully served on the Ministry Team until April of 2019; and

WHEREAS, Ruthie was educated in the Bolivar County Public Schools in Rosedale, Mississippi, and in the Greenville Public Schools where she graduated from Coleman High School in the Class of 1960. She also attended Alcorn A&M College in Lorman, Mississippi, where she first majored in Early Elementary Education. She was the first of her siblings to both graduate from high school and attend college. After leaving Alcorn A&M College, Ruthie returned home to Greenville where she worked as a Secretary in the Greenville Public Schools at T.L. Weston High School and E.E. Bass Junior High School before starting her banking career as a Teller. Throughout her career in banking, she worked at various banks, including Commercial National Bank, Trustmark Bank, and Sunburst Bank, which later became Union Planters Bank before eventually becoming present day Regions Bank; and

WHEREAS, after retiring from Regions Bank, in the summer of 1996, Ruthie was hired as the Office Manager at Infipro Security before her love for both ministry and business led her to become the Bookkeeper at the Salvation Army in Greenville, Mississippi. She "officially" ended her work career when she retired from the Salvation Army in 2012. However, in 2016, Ruthie was recruited to become the Office Manager at Jackson Heating and Air Conditioning; and

WHEREAS, despite being a working mom with three children, Ruthie still found time to be civically and politically active in her community. For more than 30 years, Ruthie served on the Board of Directors of the Brent Daycare Center, which later became known as the Greenville Daycare and Learning Center; and

WHEREAS, in addition to her civic engagements with several organizations, including her beloved Coleman High School Class of 1960, Ruthie was passionate about politics. She canvassed Delta neighborhoods and traveled around the State of Mississippi in order to get Democratic candidates elected on the local, state and national levels; and

WHEREAS, for many years, Ruthie was an active member of the Washington County Democratic Party, and she worked closely with the Democratic National Committee. She not only campaigned for State Democratic candidates such as Robert Clark, but in 1987, Ruthie campaigned diligently to elect Mike Espy to the United States House of Representatives, Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. Then, in 1993, she helped to secure victory for Bennie Thompson when he successfully ran for Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District seat after Mike Espy became the United States Secretary of Agriculture. In 1988, while serving as the Precinct Captain of Precincts 3-1, Ruthie galvanized the highest voter turnout in the precinct's history, which played a pivotal role in electing Mississippi's 60th Governor, Raymond Mabus, Jr. In 1993 and 1994, Ruthie was also instrumental in helping elect Greenville Attorneys, Johnnie E. Walls, Jr., and Willie Bailey, to the Mississippi Senate 12th Senatorial District and the Mississippi House of Representatives 49th District, respectively; and

WHEREAS, because Ruthie was a gracious hostess who maintained a lovely home, she was often called upon to host visiting dignitaries at her residence, including the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., Minister Louis Farrakhan, Judge James Earl Graves, Jr., and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young's daughter, Andrea Young, just to name a few. Long before the "Me Too Movement," Ruthie recognized the need for women to hold political offices. As a result, she served as the Campaign Manager or as a volunteer for numerous female candidates, including Vernita King Johnson, Bernadine Young (deceased), Laverne Moore Holmes, Margaret Carey-McCray, and Estelle Pryor, among others; and

WHEREAS, Ruthie was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Blanche; her siblings: Martha (Bay) Birkhead Brewer, Alma Catherine (Gloria) Ransom, Marguerite (Sister) Clark, Betty Jean (Beh Jean) Walker, Henry (Bay Brother/Ramp) Ransom, Jr., Clarence (Scrappy) Ransom, and Charles (Bimbo) Ransom. To cherish her memory, Ruthie leaves her two daughters, Helen Eileen Morris, Esq., and Sonya Dianne Morris Dunston; son, Thomas Morris, Jr.; grandson, Cecil Renay Dunston, II; granddaughter, Marianna Ruth Morris Christian; brother, James (Wade) Ransom, Sr.; sister, Ethel (Dandy) Ransom Knight; sister-in-law, Nettie Mae Ransom; special cousins, Alfolonia (Alf) Moore, Joseph (Buddy) Ransom, Jr. (Julia), Elijah (Sonny) Moore (Helen), Ikie Lloyd, Camille Rivers; bonus son, Daniel Ellis Morris, Esq. (Genara); bonus daughter, Stephanie Nicole Morris, Esq. (Tony); longtime friends: Gertrude Campbell, Barbara King, Lynda Hughes, Ruth Jean (Rue Jean) Bruce, Jackie Harris and Lula Grisham Thompson; her beloved Agape Storge Christian Center Family; the Noxapater International Prayer Warriors; the Port City Adult Daycare; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, spiritual children and friends; and

WHEREAS, we pay tribute and cherish fondly the memory of this most public-spirited citizen of the Mississippi Delta whose enormous civic energy will be missed:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend the life and extend the condolences of the Mississippi Senate to the bereaved family of respected Greenville citizen and Democratic party activist Ruthie Mae Ransom Morris.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Ruthie Mae Ransom Morris and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.