Tennessee SJR 1280: Memorials, Public Service - Senator Dolores Gresham -

Bill Text

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 1280
By McNally

A RESOLUTION to commend Senator Dolores Gresham for her
honorable and astute service to the people of
Tennessee as a member of the General
Assembly.

WHEREAS, it is most appropriate that the members of this General Assembly honor
those fellow legislators who performed their duties with the utmost integrity and whose efforts
during their time in office were dedicated to providing thoughtful and exemplary service to their
district and to this great State; and
WHEREAS, Senator Dolores Gresham of Somerville is one such distinguished public
servant who served both her constituency and this General Assembly with honor and ability;
and
WHEREAS, Dolores Gresham distinguished herself as a public-spirited citizen of the
highest order and as an exceptional asset to her constituency, representing Senate District 26
(Chester, Decatur, Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, McNairy, and Henderson counties) as
a member of the 106
th through 111
th General Assemblies and House District 94 (Fayette,
Hardeman, and Tipton counties) as a member of the 103
rd through 105
th General Assemblies;
and
WHEREAS, Senator Gresham is a highly influential figure in the political, social, and
civic life of Southwest Tennessee and was a champion for education reform; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Gresham holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the
Incarnate Word, a Master of Science degree from George Washington University, and a Master
of Arts degree from Loyola University New Orleans; and
WHEREAS, Senator Gresham proudly served her country as a member of the United
States Marine Corps and honorably retired at the rank of lieutenant colonel; and

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WHEREAS, throughout her service in the General Assembly, Dolores Gresham was
prominent as a dedicated and well-informed legislator who always voted her conscience; and
WHEREAS, as an active and dynamic participant in the legislative process during her
time in the General Assembly, Senator Gresham rendered sterling service as chair of the
Senate Education Committee, co-chair of the Joint Education Oversight Committee, and
member of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, the Senate Energy, Agriculture and
Natural Resources Committee, the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee, the Senate
Commerce, Labor and Agriculture Committee, the Senate Transportation Committee, and the
Joint Veterans Affairs Committee. She also served as vice chair of the House Higher Education
Subcommittee and member of the House Agriculture Committee and the House Education
Committee; and
WHEREAS, a fearless champion for the children of Tennessee, Senator Gresham
presided over and led the Senate Education Committee during the time of the greatest
improvement in academic achievement in the history of the State; and
WHEREAS, a tremendous advocate for the rights of the people of Tennessee in their
sovereign might and their representatives in the legislative branch of State government, Senator
Gresham revamped the confirmation process of educational boards and commissions, ensuring
accountability in the State's educational enterprise, and from those board members chosen to
lead it; and
WHEREAS, not a Senator who shied away from her committee's oversight
responsibilities, Senator Gresham frequently required thorough explanation and accountability
from executive branch agencies over which her committee had jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS, never satisfied with the status quo, Senator Gresham ensured that the
Senate Education Committee would be the driving force in revamping Title 49 of the Tennessee
Code Annotated to focus on the success of and opportunities for students rather than the
comfort of adults; and

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WHEREAS, always a defender of the dignity of the Senate and its processes as the
expression of a free people, Chairman Gresham was known to silence the room with a single
word or a rap of the gavel if protests turned to disruption; and
WHEREAS, a respected pioneer in education reform throughout the republic, Senator
Gresham served in senior leadership positions in the Foundation for Excellence in Education;
the Education Commission of the States, where she served as vice chair; and the Southern
Legislative Conference, where she served as education chair; and
WHEREAS, Senator Gresham is a Henry Toll Fellow of the Council of State
Governments, a member of the Southern Regional Education Board, and an alumna of the
Southern Legislative Conference Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills program; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Gresham has proven that citizens can make a difference by being
involved in community service and leading by example; and
WHEREAS, a respected and trusted leader, Senator Gresham is director of the Fayette
Haywood Enterprise Community, past director of the National Cattle Women's Association, and
past president of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, the Tennessee Cattle Women's
Association, an