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House Bill 9153




    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HR 9153

        By Representative Dennis






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution in honor of Emma Smith Watkins.

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  4         WHEREAS, Mrs. Emma Smith Watkins has been one of

  5  Jacksonville's most well-known, highly energetic, and talented

  6  senior citizens of this decade, and

  7         WHEREAS, Mrs. Watkins was born December 13, 1913, in

  8  Tallahassee, Florida, the only daughter of Elex and Lucinda

  9  Smith, and had two brothers, Robert Smith and the late Edward

10  Smith, and

11         WHEREAS, she married Henry Watkins in 1929, who died in

12  1937, and had one daughter, now Elder L. M. Watkins McClain,

13  pastor of Emmanuel's Temple of Deliverance in Philadelphia,

14  and

15         WHEREAS, she was baptized in the New Bethel Baptist

16  Church in West Palm Beach, and upon moving to Jacksonville in

17  1933, joined the Saint Matthew Baptist Church where she is

18  still an active member having served in several capacities,

19  and

20         WHEREAS, she re-enrolled in school as a widowed mother

21  at the Florida Junior College of Jacksonville and completed in

22  1973 the Adult Education Academic Program and, later, at age

23  61, a nursing assistant certified program and, at age 67, an

24  upholstery course, and

25         WHEREAS, she takes special and personal pride in her

26  accomplishments while employed as a company representative by

27  Avon, Inc., from 1951 to 1983, in part because the first black

28  managers were employed at Avon due to her efforts, and

29         WHEREAS, she is affiliated with many civic, social,

30  political, and religious organizations of Jacksonville, and

31  has a vast number of well-wishers and admirers due to her

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HR 9153

    511-139A-97






  1  friendly and engaging personality, her active pursuits of her

  2  hobbies of sewing and gardening, and her countless

  3  contributions to her community, city, and state, NOW,

  4  THEREFORE,

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  6  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

  7  Florida:

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  9         That the House of Representatives commends Emma Smith

10  Watkins for her remarkable achievements as a senior citizen,

11  and for her distinguished life of service to her family, her

12  church, and her community, city, and state.

13         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution

14  be presented to Emma Smith Watkins as a tangible token of the

15  sentiments expressed herein.

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