SLS 17RS-2423 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 164
BY SENATOR GATTI
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Robert "Bobby" E. Marlow on the occasion of his
retirement as an educator.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend Robert "Bobby" E. Marlow on the occasion of his retirement as an educator
3 after nearly fifty years in the profession.
4 WHEREAS, Mr. Bobby Marlow, a native of Natchez, Mississippi, was born to James
5 Anthony Marlow Sr. and Thelma Ford Marlow on December 29, 1945, the youngest of five
6 children, and he was educated in the public schools in his home state, graduating from
7 Adams County High School in 1964; and
8 WHEREAS, Bobby Marlow considers the greatest influence in his life, other than
9 his parents, his junior high school teacher and coach, Robert M. Dearing, who was a role
10 model and an inspiration for Mr. Marlow to become an educator; and
11 WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, Mr. Marlow accepted a football
12 scholarship to play football at Copiah-Lincoln Junior College, now known as
13 Copiah-Lincoln Community College, in Wesson, Mississippi, and in 1966 he enrolled at the
14 University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi from which he graduated in
15 1968 with a bachelor's degree; and
16 WHEREAS, Bobby Marlow made the move from his native Mississippi to Louisiana
17 in 1968 when he accepted his first teaching position at Morgan City High School in Morgan
18 City, Louisiana, where he taught until 1971; and
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1 WHEREAS, in August 1971, Mr. Marlow accepted a teaching and coaching position
2 at Parkway High School in Bossier City, Louisiana, making a permanent move to North
3 Louisiana and remaining at Parkway through 1986; and
4 WHEREAS, while teaching through the school year, Bobby Marlow also attended
5 classes at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, where he received a master's degree in
6 education in 1980; and
7 WHEREAS, at the beginning of the 1986-1987 academic year, Mr. Marlow moved
8 to Elm Grove Middle School, in Elm Grove, Louisiana, as assistant principal under the
9 tutelage of principal Ken Kruithof, serving in that capacity until 1991; and
10 WHEREAS, becoming principal after having served as assistant principal of the Elm
11 Grove Middle School since 1986, was the next logical step in his career and Mr. Marlow
12 accepted the principalship in 1991, serving until 2010; and
13 WHEREAS, Elm Grove Elementary was established in 2010, taking the primary
14 grades to a separate campus and Bobby Marlow made the final move of his academic career
15 to become the principal of the new elementary school, serving until his retirement at the
16 conclusion of the 2016-2017 school year; and
17 WHEREAS, Mr. Marlow married Alice Ferguson Marlow and the two are the
18 parents of a lovely daughter, Lori Harper, and they enjoy interacting with their grandchildren
19 Jill, Rob, and Ali; and
20 WHEREAS, because of his long and successful tenure at Elm Grove Elementary,
21 Bobby Marlow was principal when all of his grandchildren attended the school, a
22 particularly special circumstance; and
23 WHEREAS, the Marlows have led a busy life in the community while Mr. Marlow
24 has been involved in his academic career, particularly being active members of Bellaire
25 Baptist Church with Mr. Marlow serving as deacon from 1985 until the present and as a
26 Sunday school teacher; and
27 WHEREAS, Mr. Marlow maintains membership in the Louisiana Association of
28 School Executives, the Bossier Association of Principals, and is a lifetime member of the
29 Louisiana High School Athletic Association; and
30 WHEREAS, on the last day of the 2016-2017 school year, students, faculty, and staff
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1 of Elm Grove Elementary school said goodbye to their beloved principal amid hugs, cheers,
2 and not a few tears; and
3 WHEREAS, commenting on his time in Bossier schools, Bobby Marlow stated,
4 "Bossier Parish is just a wonderful place to be, its been a family-like atmosphere...and its
5 been a great run"; and
6 WHEREAS, all those at Elm Grove Elementary agreed with this assessment and sent
7 their longtime principal off with best wishes for a retirement filled with love and much time
8 with his family; and
9 WHEREAS, after decades of working hard as a dedicated teacher, coach, and school
10 administrator and giving back to his community through his commitment to his church and
11 numerous professional organizations, in addition to his family responsibilities,
12 Bobby Marlow has earned a long and enjoyable retirement filled with family and friends.
13 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
14 does hereby commend Robert "Bobby" E. Marlow on the occasion of his retirement as an
15 educator after nearly fifty years in the profession.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
17 Mr. Bobby Marlow.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
SR 164 Original 2017 Regular Session Gatti
Commends Robert "Bobby" E. Marlow on the occasion of his retirement as an educator.
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