A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor Mary Joyce Holmes, board member on the Georgetown County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, and to commend her for her significant community service and for her dedication to registering minority voters and encouraging them to vote.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for Mary Joyce Holmes' dedication to the Georgetown community and appreciate her more than a half century in the same industry and office; and

Whereas, born in Marion County in 1947, she is the daughter of Lacy and Louise Richardson, who were traveling farmers and worked at different manufacturers. She was reared in Marion County and learned the value of hard work from the example of her parents; and

Whereas, her entire school career took place at Bethel School in Britton's Neck in Marion County. Although she was trained to harvest crops and raise breeding stock, that was not her passion. Mary Joyce wanted to teach; and

Whereas, even as a young girl farming the land with her parents and her only sibling, younger brother Leon, she wanted to be a teacher. Ms. Holmes earned a bachelor's degree in education from Benedict College in order to fulfill that dream; and

Whereas, she began her professional career as a teacher at Choppee High School, and soon after, she had the first of three children in 1970. In 1973, Ms. Holmes was hired to work in Georgetown's voter registration office.  She eventually became the first director of Georgetown County Voter Registration and Elections in 1996 when the two offices merged; and

Whereas, she led the office until her retirement in 2006, and two years later, she was appointed to the Georgetown County Board of Voter Registration and Elections and has served there ever since, offering her wealth of knowledge and experience now as a volunteer; and

Whereas, small in stature and soft spoken, she became a fierce advocate for voter registration in Georgetown County, inspiring minority citizens to register to vote and to participate in elections; and

Whereas, Ms. Holmes and her beloved husband, William Holmes, enjoy her three adult children, two girls and one boy; and

Whereas, grateful for her many years of distinguished service to Georgetown County, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to express their appreciation to Mary Joyce Holmes for her devoted service to Georgetown County.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Mary Joyce Holmes, board member on the Georgetown County Board of Voter Registration and Elections, and commend her for her significant community service and for her dedication to registering minority voters and encouraging them to vote.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Mary Joyce Holmes.

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