GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2011
H 2
HOUSE RESOLUTION 608*
Committee Substitute Favorable 5/17/12
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April 5, 2011
A HOUSE RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of bertha "b" Merrill Holt.
Whereas, Bertha "B" Merrill Holt was born on August 16, 1916, in Eufaula, Alabama, to William H. Merrill and Bertha H. Moore Merrill; and
Whereas, B Holt earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and history in 1938 from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia; and
Whereas, B Holt attended law school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1939 to 1940 and then transferred to the University of Alabama, where she received a law degree in 1941; and
Whereas, B Holt furthered her education by taking graduate courses at George Washington University; and
Whereas, during B Holt's early career, she worked as an attorney for the U.S. Treasury and the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, B Holt met her future husband, W. Clary Holt, while working in Washington, D.C., and the two were married on March 14, 1942; and
Whereas, B Holt and her family moved to Burlington, North Carolina, in 1946, where she quickly became involved in her community; and
Whereas, B Holt became active in the local Democratic Party and, in 1975, was appointed to the North Carolina House of Representatives, becoming the first woman to represent the district; and
Whereas, B Holt served with honor and distinction in the House of Representatives for consecutive terms between 1975 and 1994; and
Whereas, B Holt provided exceptional service to her constituency and the General Assembly, serving as Cochair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Justice and Public Safety and as Vice-Chair of the Education Subcommittee on Preschool, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Judiciary I, and as a member of several other committees, including Constitutional Amendments and Referenda and Environment; and
Whereas, B Holt was appointed to a number of legislative study committees, including the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, Pest Control Study Committee, Computer Literacy Study Committee, Joint Commission on School Salary Schedules, Open Meetings Study Committee, and Inmate Substance Abuse Study Committee; and
Whereas, during her tenure in the General Assembly, B Holt led the successful effort to make marital rape a crime and fought for the State Abortion Fund because she believed a woman's right to self-determination should not be limited by her economic status; and
Whereas, B Holt was a founding member of the Alamance Women's Political Caucus and the Women's Resource Center in Alamance County and was a lifetime member of the Democratic Women of Alamance County and the Senior Democrats of Alamance County; and
Whereas, in 1995 B Holt served as a member of the delegation to the Fourth United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing, China; and
Whereas, B Holt was a member of various organizations, including the North Carolina Bar Association, Pi Beta Phi, North Carolina Historical Society, Century Book Club, Down to Earth Garden Club, American Association of University Women, Task Force Community Based Alternative for State Offenders, and North Carolina Women's Forum; and
Whereas, B Holt served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Girl Scout Board, North Carolina School of Public Health Advisory Board, State Conference of Social Work, LIFE-Guardianship Council, ARC/NC, Advisory Board of the Alamance County Salvation Army, Advisory Board of the School Health Board, Board of Directors of the Snow Camp Historical Society, and Vice-Chair of the North Carolina State University Committee on Transportation; and
Whereas, as a great proponent of education, especially Civics and History, B Holt often talked to high school classes and adult groups about our State's laws and government; and
Whereas, B Holt received numerous honors and recognitions for her good deeds, including the Outstanding Alumna Award from Agnes Scott College in 1978, Legislative Award from the Nurses Association in 1979, Hospice of North Carolina Award in 1984, Legislative Award from the North Carolina Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in 1984, Distinguished Service in Promoting School Health Education from the North Carolina Society for Public Health Education in 1986, Faith Active to Public Life Award by the North Carolina Council of Churches in 1987, and Distinguished Women's Award in Government from the North Carolina Council on the Status of Women in 1991; and
Whereas, B Holt was listed in Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who in America and received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Agnes Scott College in 2007; and
Whereas, B Holt was active in the Episcopal Church, serving as a member of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter in Burlington, President of the Episcopal Church Women of the Church of the Holy Comforter, High School Sunday school teacher, a member of the Diocesan Council of North Carolina Episcopal Diocese, Alternate Delegate to the Episcopal General Convention, Episcopal Diocesan Convention Delegate, and Episcopal Diocesan Convention President for the Burlington Council of Church Women; and
Whereas, B Holt held the distinction of becoming the first woman to serve on the Bishop's Standing Committee and the Church Vestry and was the first woman to serve as the Senior Warden of the Vestry of the Church of Holy Comforter; and
Whereas, B Holt died on June 19, 2010, at the age of 93; and
Whereas, B Holt is survived by a daughter, Harriet H. Whitley; sons, W. Merrill Holt and W. Jefferson Holt; grandchildren, Allyson Burroughs, Anna Blessington, Alexander Holt, William Holt, Croft Holt, and Christopher Holt; and great-grandchildren, Grace Burroughs, Lawson Burroughs, and Jack Blessington; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
SECTION 1. The House of Representatives honors the memory of Bertha "B" Merrill Holt and expresses the appreciation of this State and its citizens for the service she rendered her community, State, and nation.
SECTION 2. The House of Representatives extends its sympathy to the family of Bertha "B" Merrill Holt for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3. The Principal Clerk shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Bertha "B" Merrill Holt.
SECTION 4. This resolution is effective upon adoption.