S*1387 Resolution, By Hutto
 A SENATE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE ELWOOD J. LACKEY OF ORANGEBURG COUNTY ON
 THE OCCASION OF HIS ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY, AND TO WISH HIM A JOYOUS BIRTHDAY
 CELEBRATION AND CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.

   03/28/12  Senate Introduced and adopted (Senate Journal-page 8)

TO CONGRATULATE ELWOOD J. LACKEY OF ORANGEBURG COUNTY ON THE OCCASION OF HIS ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY, AND TO WISH HIM A JOYOUS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AND CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are delighted to learn that Elwood J. "E. J." Lackey of Orangeburg County will celebrate his one hundredth birthday on March 31, 2012; and

Whereas, born in Paxville in the early part of the twentieth century on March 31, 1912, he has been witness to incredible technological advancements, social changes, and international developments that have occurred from the time of his birth through the first decade of the twenty-first century; and

Whereas, when his father died in 1924, he, a brother, and a sister from the family's eight children went to live at Connie Maxwell Children's Home in Greenwood, where he learned barbering and how to run a linotype machine by working in the print shop; and

Whereas, E. J. graduated from Greenwood High School in 1931, but due to the economic hardships of the Great Depression, he sought employment rather than furthering his education; and

Whereas, he started his career in photography working for Williams' Studio in Sumter and moved to Orangeburg in 1935 when Mr. Williams expanded his business, and it was there he met and married his beloved wife, Mildred, in 1939; and

Whereas, Mildred worked alongside E. J. and learned the photography business, using her natural talent for hand coloring photographs with oil, which became her primary responsibility in the business for the next forty-plus years; and

Whereas, in November 1943, he answered his country's call to serve in the United States Army Signal Corps in the South Pacific, and two years later he was honorably discharged as a sergeant and returned to his three loves: his wife, his six-year-old son, Shelton, and Orangeburg; and

Whereas, upon returning, he purchased some of the photography equipment from Mr. Williams and opened his own studio with Mildred joining him as his assistant. Over the years his studio has been at several locations, and since the mid 1960's it has been at its present location on John C. Calhoun Drive; and

Whereas, having received so much support from Connie Maxwell Children's Home in his younger years, E. J. has always been supportive of the good work which that organization does for children and served on their board of trustees for over twenty years, being named Trustee Emeritus; and

Whereas, an active and devoted member of Northside Baptist Church, he has served as a Sunday school teacher for the past sixty-four years and is active in Gideon's International; and

Whereas, in the spring of 2002, the Orangeburg Mayor and City Council presented Elwood and Mildred Lackey with the Edisto Award for their significant contributions to the community; and

Whereas, his crowning achievement, however, is his three adoring grandchildren and his two great-grandchildren. At his great-grandson's Eagle Scout ceremony, E. J. was honored by his great-grandson with the Eagle Scout Mentor award; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are pleased to honor this son of South Carolina at the celebration of his one hundredth birthday and join with his family and friends in congratulating him on reaching this extraordinary milestone. Now, therefore,. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, congratulate Elwood J. Lackey of Orangeburg County on the occasion of his one hundredth birthday, and wish him a joyous birthday celebration and continued good health and happiness.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Elwood J. Lackey.