07 LC 21
9377
House
Resolution 481
By:
Representatives Brooks of the
63rd,
Holmes of the
61st,
Wilkinson of the
52nd,
Thomas of the
55th,
Sinkfield of the
60th,
and others
A
RESOLUTION
Expressing
regret at the passing of Ms. Maenell Dixon Dempsey; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
Ms. Maenell Dixon Dempsey was born in Newnan, Georgia, on November 8, 1912, the
daughter of William L. Dixon, Jr., and Opal H. Dixon, and she graduated from the
Newnan public schools and went on to graduate from Spelman College in 1933 and
the University of California, Berkeley in 1944; and
WHEREAS,
she began her career as a teacher of French and English in LaGrange, Georgia, in
1933, and she retired in 1977 after a long and distinguished career in education
with the State of Georgia at the elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and
postgraduate levels, and she taught at Tuskegee Institute, Georgia State College
(now Savannah State University), Atlanta University, Columbia University, New
York University, and Northwestern University; and
WHEREAS,
she is remembered as a trailblazer in education for children in Georgia and was
lauded for her work as a "Jeanes Supervisor," one of a cadre of teachers
employed throughout the southern states for the purpose of improving the school
and community life among rural African Americans, and she was a master teacher
who assisted local teachers in the segregated schools of the rural
South.
WHEREAS,
she was married to Alford J. Dempsey, Sr., for 52 years, and they had two sons,
Alford J. Dempsey, Jr., and Albert Jean-Pierre Dempsey, and her beloved husband
preceded her in death 12 years to the day before her own death; and
WHEREAS,
she served on many boards, including the Mozley Park Advisory Council, Families
First, the Metropolitan Christian Council, and the American Association of
University Women, and she held offices with the American Cancer Society, the
Geogia Association of Educators, and many other organizations, and she was the
first African American to be the Georgia Department of Education´s state
teacher education coordinator, liaison to Teacher Corps, and the president of
the Georgia Association of Educators, and she was a member of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority, Inc., and past president of the Alumnae Chapter.
WHEREAS,
this gracious lady and pioneer educator passed away peacefully on February 2,
2007, at the age of 94.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body express regret at the passing of Ms. Maenell Dixon Dempsey and extend
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
Ms. Maenell Dixon Dempsey.