SR379.html

Congratulating Harriett Riggins McGee on the occasion of her 117th birthday; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Harriett Riggins was born on March 14, 1884, on a farm near Leesburg, Georgia, the first of seven children of John and Jenny Riggins; and

WHEREAS, her life was filled with hard work, first picking cotton and corn, and later she left the fields to work for a Dougherty County school cafeteria and the TipTop restaurant for 21 years; and

WHEREAS, she married while she was in her teens; and

WHEREAS, her life has encompassed a lot of change, and she can recall seeing a "horseless carriage" for the first time, riding in a Model T truck, seeing the terrible damage to downtown Albany, Georgia, from the 1940 tornado, and using ration cards during the war; and

WHEREAS, although the arthritis in her feet keeps her from walking much these days, she recalls winning $50.00 as a prize for her dancing; and

WHEREAS, she remembers going to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when he spoke at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Albany in 1961, and watching television reports about the assassination of Dr. King and President Kennedy; and

WHEREAS, she has lived through the terms of 22 presidents and regards former President Bill Clinton as the best; and

WHEREAS, the gleam in her eyes and her frequent laughter have endeared her to all who know her; and
WHEREAS, she was taken into the church at the age of 13 and her faith has sustained her through many travails in her life.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body congratulate Harriett Riggins McGee on her 117th birthday and extend sincere wishes for many more happy birthdays.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Harriett Riggins McGee.