1 South Carolina General Assembly 2 122nd Session, 2017-2018 3 4 S. 852 5 6 STATUS INFORMATION 7 8 Senate Resolution 9 Sponsors: Senator McLeod 10 Document Path: l:\council\bills\rt\17217wab18.docx 11 12 Introduced in the Senate on January 9, 2018 13 Adopted by the Senate on January 9, 2018 14 15 Summary: Willie Dell Grimes 16 17 18 HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 19 20 Date Body Action Description with journal page number 21 1/9/2018 Senate Introduced and adopted ( Senate Journalpage 80) 22 23 View the latest legislative information at the website 24 25 26 VERSIONS OF THIS BILL 27 28 1/9/2018 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A SENATE RESOLUTION 10 11 TO APPLAUD AND ADMIRE MRS. WILLIE DELL GRIMES 12 FOR SHOWING A DEDICATION AND TENACITY THAT 13 FEW EVER FIND AND TO CONGRATULATE HER FOR 14 OBTAINING HER HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. 15 16 Whereas, the members of the Senate of the State of South Carolina 17 find it altogether fitting and proper to pause in their deliberations 18 to recognize and laud the exemplary achievements of Mrs. Willie 19 Dell Grimes, who has exhibited a singleminded determination to 20 ensure she receives the education she has always deserved; and 21 22 Whereas, Willie Dell was born in Denmark, South Carolina on 23 September 15, 1933, to the late Ellis Pauls and the late Sentarian 24 Bardlaven Pauls Johnson. She lived in Poplar Grove, nine miles 25 outside of Bamberg and was raised by her grandparents, the late 26 Mack Bardlaven and the late Susie Jefferson Bardlaven. Her small 27 community only offered classes through seventh grade. After this 28 milestone was reached, students were required to commute to 29 Bamberg to continue their education. Willie Dell, committed to 30 her education and driven by a desire to be a school teacher, had no 31 way of making the journey and was forced to temporarily suspend 32 her education; and 33 34 Whereas, she went on to marry Jack E. Grimes, and over the 35 course of the next seventeen years, she had twelve cherished 36 children. Her emphasis on education never dwindled and she saw 37 to it that ten of her children graduated from high school, went on to 38 higher education, and began such careers as military service, 39 horticulturist, firefighter/paramedic, ministers, nurses, counselors, 40 business owner, financial manager, industrial personnel 41 administrator, and educator; and 42

[852] 2 1 Whereas, Willie Dell’s family has since grown incredibly to now 2 include twentyfive grandchildren, twentysix greatgrandchildren, 3 and two greatgreatgrandchildren, all of whom are carrying on the 4 tradition of getting a stellar education; and 5 6 Whereas, Willie Dell spent thirtyfive years raising her brood and 7 continued to care for her husband of fortytwo years, until he 8 passed away in 1991. It was then that Willie Dell decided it was 9 time to go back to school and finally earn her high school diploma; 10 and 11 12 Whereas, with the encouragement of her children and 13 grandchildren, Willie Dell steadfastly pursued this dream. In 14 1993, she started night classes at the W. R. Rogers Adult 15 Education Center in Richland School District 2, and in 1999, 16 Willie Dell earned her high school certificate, signifying that she 17 had successfully completed the classwork requirements for a high 18 school degree; and 19 20 Whereas, in 2014, with the passing of new legislation, Willie Dell 21 was able to apply for her high school diploma with the help of 22 Richland 2. After years of hard work and overcoming obstacles, 23 Willie Dell finally received her high school diploma at a Richland 24 District 2 board meeting in August 2017; and 25 26 Whereas, Bobby Cunningham, principal of W. R. Rogers Adult 27 Education Center, describes Willie Dell as “a model example of 28 lifelong learning. She makes Richland 2 proud to have been a part 29 of her story”; and 30 31 Whereas, the accomplishment Willie Dell Grimes has achieved at 32 the age of eightythree is a shining example of what passion and 33 fortitude can achieve. After raising a large and healthy family, 34 Willie Dell still sought to better herself through education and 35 attain a goal that she had held close for many years. The Senate of 36 South Carolina is proud to be able to call this woman a daughter of 37 the Palmetto State. Now, therefore, 38 39 Be it resolved by the Senate: 40 41 That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, 42 applaud and admire Mrs. Willie Dell Grimes for showing a

[852] 3 1 dedication and tenacity that few ever find and congratulate her for 2 obtaining her high school diploma. 3 4 Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to 5 Mrs. Willie Dell Grimes. 6 XX 7

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