South Carolina H 5026: Jerry Purcell

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5026 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 28, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5026

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

To recognize and Honor Jerry Purcell for his many 
years OF COMMITMENT and service to the BennetTsville Community. 

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina House of Representatives are proud to recognize Jerry 
Purcell for forty-nine years of service and dedication to his community; and

Whereas, Jerry Purcell 
is the owner of Purcell's Barber Shop, which opened in 1997, and has almost five 
decades of hair cutting experience. His barber shop is a generational cornerstone 
of the Bennettsville community providing a welcoming atmosphere to anyone who 
walks through its door; and

Whereas, Mr. Purcell 
started cutting hair at just fourteen years old. He learned the craft under 
Willie Arthur "Suge" Covington. Suge was instrumental in Jerry's hair cutting 
journey, teaching him many life lessons such as discipline, pride, and the 
importance of serving people with excellence. In 1985 Jerry was also mentored 
by Gillespie Ervin, who opened his barbershop to Jerry and gave him a place to 
practice, fail, learn, and grow. He earned his barber's license in 1990 and 
officially stepped into the profession he had been mastering for years. His 
first official job was under Cordell Chestnut, where he continued to sharpen 
his skills and build a name for himself, quickly becoming known for his precision, 
consistency, and genuine care; and

Whereas, at 
twenty-seven years old, Mr. Purcell opened his own shop, Purcell's Barber Shop. 
Throughout almost three decades of operation, Purcell's Barber Shop has become 
a generational hair care stop, catering to every generation of many families 
and offering not only a great haircut, but also hospitality that has turned 
customers into family; and

Whereas, Jerry Purcell 
has created a safe space for all, offering a listening ear, advice, a laugh, 
and a friendly face. He has been the go-to barber for all of life's important 
moments, seeing first days of school, graduations, job interviews, weddings, 
and more. He has seen boys become men and find a real brotherhood within his 
shop; and

Whereas, the legacy 
created by Jerry Purcell is one of commitment and passion for not only the work 
he does, but the lives he touches. His love for his community and the 
generational family that he has built within the walls of Purcell's Barber Shop 
is admirable. Jerry Purcell and his shop have become a generational landmark 
and the beating heart of the Bennettsville community. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, recognize and honor Jerry Purcell for his many years of commitment 
and service to the Bennettsville Community. 

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Jerry Purcell.

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This web page was last updated on January 28, 2026 at 02:50 PM