<p> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 10 11 EXPRESSING THE SYMPATHY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 12 GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO THE FAMILY AND MANY 13 FRIENDS OF THE LATE MARTHA ANN MIDDLETON 14 PRIOLEAU SIMMONS OF PINEVILLE IN BERKELEY 15 COUNTY. 16 17 Whereas, the members of the General Assembly were saddened to 18 note the passing on October 22, 2006, of Martha Ann Middleton 19 Prioleau Simmons of Pineville, in Berkeley County; and 20 21 Whereas, Martha Ann Middleton Prioleau Simmons, born March 22 13, 1913, was the seventh child of Artopee Middleton and Celia 23 Mariah Lloyd Middleton and was the last surviving offspring of 24 ten daughters born to this union; and 25 26 Whereas, she began her formal education in the public schools of 27 Berkeley County by attending Crawl Creek School and Mall 28 School, now known as J. K. Gourdin, continuing on to Avery 29 Institute in Charleston, Voorhees College, and South Carolina 30 State College; and 31 32 Whereas, she started and taught “The One-Room Classroom” 33 elementary school in the Judgetown section of Pineville; and 34 35 Whereas, she was a communicate member of Redeemer Reformed 36 Episcopal Church in Pineville, singing in the Youth Choir and later 37 the Adult Choir, and ultimately the Senior Choir, serving also as 38 church secretary to the Vestry, teaching the Cradle Roll Sunday 39 School Class, working with the Women of the Church Auxiliary, 40 serving as chairperson of many programs sponsored by the church, 41 and representing the church as a delegate at denomination 42 convocations; and</p><p>1 [4026] 1 1 2 Whereas, while attending college she worked at the cigar factory 3 and as a welder at the Naval Shipyard in Charleston. She also 4 worked with North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company for nearly 5 twenty years and she later drove school buses for the Berkeley 6 County School System, while serving as a librarian at St. Stephen 7 High School; and 8 9 Whereas, Ms. Simmons was the last surviving charter (founding) 10 member of St. John Chapter #213, Order of the Eastern Star, 11 Pineville Chapter, and served as its first Worthy Matron; and 12 13 Whereas, in 1940, she married Elijah Prioleau, and this union was 14 blessed with three children. After her husband’s death in 1963, 15 she continued to manage and operate the family grocery store in 16 Pineville. In 1964, she began operating a daycare center in the 17 back of the store and notably, eighty percent of those students went 18 on to become college graduates; and 19 20 Whereas, in 1965, she married George Simmons, who also 21 preceded her in death. This union was blessed with two daughters; 22 and 23 24 Whereas, she was a pioneer of her time; active in civil rights 25 causes, believing in justice and equal treatment for all mankind 26 and working toward wiping out discrimination and prejudices in 27 our society. She was not afraid to venture into unchartered 28 territory acting to facilitate in voter registration efforts and rural 29 healthcare; and 30 31 Whereas, during the summers of 1974 and 1975, she pioneered a 32 summer youth work program in which she offered employment 33 opportunities to teens at her daycare center, which ultimately 34 became known as the Berkeley County Citizens’ Day Care Center, 35 and managing and operating the center until the onset of declining 36 health; and 37 38 Whereas, she was a woman of strong Christian faith, continually 39 trusting and believing that God would always make a way. And it 40 became known to all who knew her that Psalm 37 was her favorite 41 book in the Holy Bible, and the 25th verse was her favorite; and 42</p><p>1 [4026] 2 1 Whereas, it is appropriate for the members of the General 2 Assembly to pause in their deliberations so that they might honor 3 the memory of such a great a daughter of South Carolina. Now, 4 therefore, 5 6 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate 7 concurring: 8 9 That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, 10 express their sympathy to the family and many friends of the late 11 Martha Ann Middleton Prioleau Simmons of Pineville in Berkeley 12 County. 13 14 Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to 15 the beloved children of Martha Ann Middleton Prioleau Simmons, 16 Jerrous “Jerry” Prioleau, Derrous “Dee” P. Cameron, Patricia M. 17 (L.C.) Sanders, Oswald Reginald “Reggie” (Mildred) Prioleau, and 18 Coretta Simmons. 19 ----XX---- 20</p><p>1 [4026] 3</p>