| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 112 3570 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Senate Resolution 497 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Kennedy of the 18th, Gooch of the 51st, Robertson of the 29th, |
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| 4 | 4 | | Anavitarte of the 31st and others |
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| 5 | 5 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | Honoring the life and memory of Michael Ernest Sumner; and for other purposes. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1 |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens2 |
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| 9 | 9 | | with the passing of Michael Ernest Sumner on February 22, 2025; and3 |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Michael Ernest Sumner was born on February 12, 1958, in Nashville,4 |
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| 11 | 11 | | Tennessee, a beloved son of Ernest L. Sumner and Marjorie Meadows Sumner; and5 |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, his family moved to Decatur, Georgia, in 1959, and he graduated from Lakeside6 |
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| 13 | 13 | | High School in 1976, the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia in7 |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1980, and the University of Georgia Lumpkin School of Law in 1984; and8 |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Michael Ernest Sumner began his distinguished legal career at Glover & Davis9 |
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| 16 | 16 | | before working with Parker, Hudson, Rainer & Dobbs in Atlanta and later establishing his10 |
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| 17 | 17 | | own law practice in Newnan in 1996, which continues today as Sumner Meeker LLC; and11 |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, he dedicated 16 years of service to the Coweta County Board of Education,12 |
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| 19 | 19 | | including five years as board chair, where he played a pivotal role in founding the Nixon13 |
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| 20 | 20 | | S. R. 497 |
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| 21 | 21 | | - 1 - 25 LC 112 3570 |
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| 22 | 22 | | Centre for Performing and Visual Arts, developing Georgia's first technical charter high |
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| 23 | 23 | | 14 |
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| 24 | 24 | | school, and implementing Coweta County's senior tax exemption; and15 |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, he was united in love and marriage to his wife of 39 years, Leah, and together16 |
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| 26 | 26 | | they were blessed with three remarkable sons, Ernest, Stuart, and Thomas, and a cherished17 |
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| 27 | 27 | | granddaughter, Mary; and18 |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, a man of deep and abiding faith, Michael Ernest Sumner devoted over five19 |
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| 29 | 29 | | decades of his life to Central Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon, participated in the20 |
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| 30 | 30 | | chancel choir and a Gospel quartet, attended the weekly Men's Bible Study, and taught the21 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Connections Sunday School Class alongside Leah; and22 |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, he was an enthusiastic sports fan who passionately supported Georgia football,23 |
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| 33 | 33 | | Virginia basketball, and the Atlanta Braves, with an encyclopedic knowledge of team history,24 |
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| 34 | 34 | | statistics, and personalities; and25 |
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| 35 | 35 | | WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Michael Ernest Sumner will long be26 |
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| 36 | 36 | | remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who27 |
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| 37 | 37 | | had the great fortune of knowing him.28 |
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| 38 | 38 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body29 |
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| 39 | 39 | | join in honoring the life and memory of Michael Ernest Sumner and express their deepest30 |
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| 40 | 40 | | and most sincere regret at his passing.31 |
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| 41 | 41 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed32 |
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| 42 | 42 | | to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of33 |
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| 43 | 43 | | Michael Ernest Sumner.34 |
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| 44 | 44 | | S. R. 497 |
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| 45 | 45 | | - 2 - |
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