SLS 17RS-2807 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 176
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 inspiration for Mr. Marlow to become an educator; and
11 WHEREAS, after graduating from high school, Mr. Marlow accepted a scholarship
12 to play football at Copiah-Lincoln Junior College, now known as Copiah-Lincoln
13 Community College, in Wesson, Mississippi, and in 1966 he enrolled in the University of
14 Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, from which he graduated in 1968 with a
15 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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SLS 17RS-2807 ORIGINAL
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, Bobby Marlow also attended classes at Louisiana State
5 University in Shreveport, where he received a master's degree in education in 1980; and
6 WHEREAS, at the beginning of the 1986-1987 academic year, Mr. Marlow moved
7 to Elm Grove Middle School, in Elm Grove, Louisiana, as assistant principal under the
8 tutelage of Principal Ken Kruithof, serving in that capacity until 1991; and
9 WHEREAS, becoming principal after having served as assistant principal of the Elm
10 Grove Middle School since 1986, was the next logical step in his career and Mr. Marlow
11 accepted the principalship in 1991, serving until 2010; and
12 WHEREAS, Elm Grove Elementary was established in 2010, moving the upper
13 grades to a separate campus and Bobby Marlow became the principal of the elementary
14 school that remained in the original campus and included grades prekindergarten through
15 fifth, where he served until his retirement at the conclusion of the 2016-2017 school year;
16 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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SLS 17RS-2807 ORIGINAL
1 of Elm Grove Elementary said goodbye to their beloved principal amid hugs, cheers, and not
2 a few tears, wishing Mr. Marlow a retirement filled with love and much time spent with his
3 family; and
4 WHEREAS, commenting on his time in Bossier schools, Bobby Marlow stated,
5 "Bossier Parish is just a wonderful place to be, its been a family-like atmosphere. . . and its
6 been a great run"; and
7 WHEREAS, after decades of working hard as a dedicated teacher, coach, and school
8 administrator and giving back to his community through his commitment to his church and
9 numerous professional organizations, in addition to his family responsibilities,
10 Bobby Marlow has earned a long and enjoyable retirement filled with family and friends.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
12 does hereby commend Robert "Bobby" E. Marlow on the occasion of his retirement as an
13 educator after nearly fifty years in the profession.
14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
15 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 176 Original 2017 Regular Session Gatti
Commends Robert "Bobby" E. Marlow on the occasion of his retirement as an educator after
nearly fifty years in the profession.
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