HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1463
By Carringer
A RESOLUTION to honor and congratulate Grace Jones on the celebration of her ninety-fifth birthday.
WHEREAS, it is fitting that the members of this General Assembly pay tribute to those citizens who are celebrating special occasions in their estimable lives; and WHEREAS, Grace Jones will celebrate her ninety-fifth birthday on April 22, 2024, a milestone that will be commemorated as yet another precious souvenir of life's rich pageant;
and WHEREAS, the daughter of Harvey "Buck" and Robena Buckner, Grace Jones was born on April 22, 1929, in Asheville, North Carolina; and WHEREAS, during her attendance at a Bible school, she committed her life to singing for God and sang in several quartets in North Carolina. After finishing her schooling at Hall Fletcher, she worked in a restaurant that was run by her family; and WHEREAS, Grace Jones met her future husband, Ernie, while working at the restaurant,
and they were married in 1946; the joyous couple were blessed with four children, Dottie, Victor Louis, Mary Beth, and Ernie, Jr.; and WHEREAS, the family relocated to Oak Hill, and they built their home at 5514 South Briscoe Circle in 1955, where Mrs. Jones continues to reside today; the family also bought a mountain cabin in Townsend; and WHEREAS, during her lifetime, Grace Jones has been involved in both singing ministries and church ministries, including the Hearts and Hands Ministry in Townsend and the Making a Difference ministry; she sang with the Knoxville Sweet Adelines for forty years and was a part of a comedy group known as The Country Hams; and WHEREAS, a woman of deep and abiding faith, Mrs. Jones is a former member of Black Oak Heights Baptist Church and Smithwood Baptist Church; she most recently became a member of New Tazewell Baptist Church; and HJR1463
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WHEREAS, Grace Jones is still an active and productive member of society,
participating in various civic and community events, as her health permits; and WHEREAS, we wish to grasp this golden opportunity to specially recognize one of
Tennessee's most outstanding citizens on this very special occasion; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
THIRTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we hereby honor and congratulate Grace Jones on the celebration of her ninety-fifth birthday and extend to her our best wishes for much continued success and happiness.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear without House or Senate designation.
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