06 LC 97
0976
House
Resolution 2143
By:
Representatives Abdul-Salaam of the
74th,
Barnes of the
78th,
Jordan of the
77th,
Heckstall of the
62nd,
Bruce of the
64th,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Remembering
and honoring the life of Mrs. Lisa Katherine Delores Gordon Dawson; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS,
Mrs. Lisa Katherine Delores Gordon Dawson was born December 20, 1957, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Dorothy and William Gordon. Lisa graduated from
St. Rosa of Lima Elementary School in 1970, West Philadelphia Catholic Girls
High School in 1974, and Temple University with a B.A. in Arts and
Communications in 1979. Subsequently, she received a certificate in Computer
Programming from the Los Angeles Urban League and an MBA from DeVry Institute
(Keller Graduate School) in 2005; and
WHEREAS,
Mrs. Dawson was extremely active in the Clayton County community, specifically
as vice president of Mundy's Mill High School PTA, parent volunteer for Mundy's
Mill Football Team Booster Club, and cofounder and secretary for the Clayton
Village, an organization established to address the increased gang violence in
the community. Mrs. Dawson served on the Legislative Advisory Council to
Representative Roberta Abdul-Salaam and was appointed to the Riverdale Technical
College Foundation Board credited with opening a full service technical college
in Riverdale; and
WHEREAS,
her dedication and commitment to community is further demonstrated by her
initiation of and enduring work on numerous youth programs and enrichment
opportunities. Lisa served on the F.A.S.T. Panel for the Clayton County
Juvenile Court. She was also a Board Member of the African American Historic
Preservation Alliance; and
WHEREAS,
Mrs. Dawson recognized and understood the issues and problems facing our youth
in the community. She worked tirelessly to bring ideas for programs and
implement strategies to address these issues; her home was always a safe haven
for neighborhood youth; and
WHEREAS,
youth programs, summer jobs initiatives, youth basketball, etiquette classes,
arts and cultural enrichment programs, and other projects that Mrs. Dawson
helped to implement in 2006 served to reduce the juvenile crime rate in Clayton
County by 30 percent; and
WHEREAS,
because of her demonstrated expertise and care and commitment for victims of
violent crimes, Mrs. Dawson was hired in September, 2005, as a Victims'
Assistance Coordinator for the Clayton County Solicitor General's Office. Mrs.
Dawson's job was to advise victims of their rights, services available to help
them cope with violence, and referral to other agencies that provided wraparound
services. She also explained the court proceedings and she made sure victims
thoroughly understood the trial process of their attackers; and
WHEREAS,
throughout her life, her vibrant faith and her shining light of spirituality
kept her anchored in God; and
WHEREAS,
she is survived by her son, Jahbir Ibn Malone, age 18, a student at Gordon
College, Barnesville, Georgia; a brother, Dr. Richard Keith Gordon, Professor at
Cal State of Altedena, California; a sister, Jacqueline Marie Gordon, a retired
teacher and counselor of Decatur, Georgia; and a sister, Karen Beth Gordon King,
Director of Community Based Services for Children's Service, Inc., of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS,
the love of her life was her son Jahbir Malone, a college freshman. Her main
goal in life was to see Jahbir complete his college education, and an
appropriate trust/scholarship fund will be established to ensure that this
desire is fulfilled; and
WHEREAS,
Mrs. Lisa Katherine Delores Gordon Dawson passed from this earthly world on
Wednesday, March 21, 2006, leaving an unfillable void in the hearts and lives of
all who knew and loved this extraordinary Georgian.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body join to remember and honor the life and memory of Mrs. Lisa Katherine
Delores Gordon Dawson and to extend their most sincere condolences to her family
and friends.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the family of
Mrs. Lisa Katherine Delores Gordon Dawson.