South Carolina H 4851: Barbara Jean “BJ� Morris Williams, retirement

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4851 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 14, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4851

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

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

A house RESOLUTION

TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 
SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE PASSING OF Tami LaNell Abel, a 
Visionary Leader and Compassionate Mentor from Richland COUNTY, AND TO EXTEND 
DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER lOVING FAMILY AND HER MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina House of Representatives were saddened to learn of the death 
of Tami LaNell Abel; and

Whereas, born on August 
7, 1963, Tami was the elder daughter of Mary Jackson Abel and the late Melvin 
S. Abel, and she was reared in Richland County in a loving home with her only 
sibling Teri O. Abel. She was educated in the local public schools, displaying 
natural intelligence and determination from a young age and graduating with 
honors from Eau Claire High School in 1981; and

Whereas, Ms. Abel 
earned a bachelor's degree in communication and journalism from the University 
of South Carolina in 1985, and following graduation, she began her career with 
Britton's Clothing Store, where she became known for her interpersonal skills 
and professionalism; and

Whereas, she later 
served as a sales consultant with Johnson & Johnson and continued to build 
a strong reputation in the business world. In 1996, she began a longstanding 
and successful career with BellSouth, later AT&T, where her work ethic and 
leadership continued to be recognized; and

Whereas, during her 
tenure at AT&T, Ms. Abel led enterprise-wide customer operations to the 
highest level, developing communication strategies, launching enterprise 
dashboards, and ensuring compliance while never losing sight of the human side 
of leadership. She retired from AT&T in 2022 and was just beginning to 
enjoy retirement life; and

Whereas, whether 
steering customer operations at Fortune 100 companies or nurturing the growth 
of startups and small businesses, she brought vision, integrity, and tireless 
commitment to every endeavor and led with purpose and strategy; and

Whereas, Ms. Abel was a 
master of program and change management, known for turning complex challenges 
into seamless, collaborative successes. She led with precision and foresight, 
whether integrating mergers, transforming service operations, or building real-time 
dashboards that guided strategic decisions and regulatory integrity; and

Whereas, she was a 
mentor, a builder of careers, and a guide for those seeking direction. As a 
servant leader, she invested in the growth and success of others, opening doors 
to opportunity and advancement. She leaves not just achievements, but a trail 
of inspired individuals and stronger organizations; and

Whereas, Ms. Abel was 
an active member of Francis Burns United Methodist Church until her career led 
her out of State. An avid traveler, she visited France, South Africa, China, 
Dubai, Australia, Mexico and beyond; and 

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for the life and 
legacy of Tami Abel and for the example of service and dedication she set for 
all who knew her. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the 
South Carolina House of Representatives, 
by this resolution, express their profound sorrow upon the passing of Tami LaNell 
Abel, a visionary leader and compassionate mentor from Richland County, and 
extend deepest sympathy to her loving family and her many friends.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Tami LaNell Abel. 

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This web page was last updated on January 14, 2026 at 03:07 PM