HOUSE RESOLUTION NO.
22
1 A RESOLUTION MOURNING THE LOSS AND COMMEMORATING THE LIFE,
2 LEGACY AND SERVICE OF MRS. ALBERTA MARION HOWARD ALEXANDER AND
3 EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HER
4 PASSING.
5 WHEREAS, it is written in II Corinthians 4:17-18, "For our
6 light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
7 more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at
8 the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:
9 for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which
10 are not seen are eternal," and as such, the immaculate author and
11 finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of
12 dearly beloved, Mrs. Alberta Marion Howard Alexander, to rest
13 eternally, on Saturday, December 22, 2018, as she has made life's
14 final transition from earthly travailing to heavenly reward,
15 rendering great sorrow and loss to her family and friends; and
16 WHEREAS, the City of Jackson lost a wonderful friend and
17 skilled seamstress with the passing of Mother Alexander, born to
18 the late Mr. Frank and Mrs. Barbara Luckett Howard on June 20,
19 1928, and there is now a hush in our hearts as we come together to
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20 pay our respects to the memory of one who has been called to join
21 that innumerable heavenly caravan; and
22 WHEREAS, a pillar of strength, immense generosity and care,
23 "Mom," as she was lovingly known as by those she loved
24 unconditionally through her service to family and humanity, was a
25 tireless servant and practicing member of the Catholic faith who
26 touched countless lives through her selfless giving, imparted
27 intelligence, entertaining spirit and regal stature of virtue; and
28 WHEREAS, Mrs. Alexander received her formal education at Holy
29 Ghost Catholic School before later graduating from Lanier High
30 School, the perfect preparation for her collegiate matriculation,
31 briefly at Tougaloo College before graduating from Tuskegee
32 Institute with a bachelor of science degree in home economics and
33 elementary education, and where she also served as the principal
34 soprano soloist for the famed Tuskegee Institute Choir under the
35 direction of composer and world renowned Dean of African-American
36 Chorale music tradition, Mr. William Dawson, which enabled her to
37 be the premier soloist when the Tuskegee Institute Choir became
38 the first African-American performing group to appear at
39 Washington, D.C.'s Constitution Hall in 1946; and
40 WHEREAS, with education as foundation of her legacy, Mrs.
41 Alexander, a member of Phi Delta Kappa Honors Education
42 Fraternity, attained both her master's degree in gifted education
43 and specialist's degree in education from Jackson State
44 University, and completed studies in Mississippi State
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45 University's Ph.D. program, and in keeping with the family's
46 tradition, began her professional career as an educator by first
47 establishing a tailoring school for veterans, and subsequent
48 thereto, devoting 40 years to public elementary education
49 throughout the State of Mississippi, which resulted in the
50 crowning achievements of establishing the Open Doors Gifted and
51 Talented Program for Jackson Public Schools and assisting in the
52 creation of the APAC (Academic and Performing Arts Complex), both
53 of which detail her infinite impact as an educator; and
54 WHEREAS, initially poised for a career as a soloist, fate
55 would lend itself to otherwise, and in accordance with the
56 blueprint divinely designed for the pattern of her life by the
57 Great Deity and grand architect of our lives' destiny, Alberta's
58 heart was pierced by the love, chivalry and affection of
59 Fred Alexander Sr., who swept her off her feet, and the duo became
60 bone of one another's bone and flesh of one another's flesh after
61 exchanging the nuptials of holy matrimony, building a lifetime of
62 memories with the addition of five children, with whom they shared
63 the abundant blessings of love, honor, humility, respect,
64 civility, social awareness and tenacious perseverance; and
65 WHEREAS, a God-fearing Christian before all other roles she
66 assumed, a devoted wife and nurturing, protective and caring
67 mother next, Mrs. Alexander was the epitome of a woman of Proverbs
68 31:10 virtue who possessed an ambitious spirit akin to that of
69 King David, as she was a woman who sought the very heart of God
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70 and demonstrated great faith and commitment to Jesus Christ and
71 command of respect, both given by and required of her, as a
72 lifelong member of Holy Ghost Catholic Church which spurred her
73 affiliations with such internal organizations as: the Alter
74 Society; Knights of St. Peter Claver; St. Joseph Circle; St.
75 Martin de Pores; church choir member and soloist; and Catechism
76 Program Instructor/Mentor; and
77 WHEREAS, equally devoted to the call of community, cultural
78 and civic awareness, Mrs. Alexander's social activism was inspired
79 by her family, which enabled her to be engaged as a member of
80 numerous organizations, including: Girl Scouts Troop Leader;
81 Opera South; City of Jackson Library Board; St. Dominic Hospital
82 Investigative Review Board; NAACP Life Member; National Education
83 Association; Mississippi Voter Registration Committee; Tuskegee
84 Alumni Association; and Risk Takers Investment Club; affiliations
85 that confirms the recording of Romans 14:8, "If we live, we live
86 for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So whether we
87 live or die, we belong to the Lord"; and
88 WHEREAS, though she has traversed the river of life to
89 reunite with those who answered God's summons to life eternal and
90 now beckon her arrival to the celestial shores of Heaven's
91 grandeur, including her son, Fred Alexander III, granddaughter,
92 Eve Alberta Jacob and two siblings, Erdelle Johnson and Clarence
93 Howard, the legacy of Mrs. Alexander's indelible imprint upon our
94 lives will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of her
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95 beloved survivors: daughters, Dr. Barbara Alexander Lofton (Jon),
96 Sylvia Alberta Alexander Jacobs, Carmen Alexander Calvin and
97 RaMona Clay Alexander; five grandchildren, Nicole, Torri, Kenneth,
98 Norman and Anastasia; six great-grandchildren, Lauren, Madison,
99 Juan, Alexander, Sebastian and Camille; siblings, Frank Howard and
100 Virginia Fare Thomas; and a host of other relatives and friends;
101 and
102 WHEREAS, we encourage the family to find solace from the
103 overwhelming sadness created by the earthly departure of their
104 beloved family member and be renewed in their faith that Mrs.
105 Alexander fulfilled the purpose of her appointed time in adherence
106 to the commandment of II Timothy 4:7, by having "fought a good
107 fight, finishing her course and keeping the faith until the hour
108 of her departure was at hand"; and
109 WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to
110 commend the life of a genuine and selfless individual such as Mrs.
111 Alexander, whose light illuminated the path of hope for all she
112 encountered along this earthly sojourn:
113 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
114 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby
115 mourn the loss and commemorate the life and legacy of Mrs. Alberta
116 Marion Howard Alexander, and express sincere and deepest sympathy
117 upon her passing.
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118 119 120
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be
furnished to the family of Mrs. Alexander and to the members of
the Capitol Press Corps.