First Friday; Tribute to First Lady Pat Fordice

With hundred. To my first Friday features highlights of a tribute dinner to Mississippi's first lady Fordyce the first lady was recognized for her seven and a half years of service to Mississippi. The tribute dinner was hosted by the Mississippi Republican elected officials Association. The ceremony took place Aug. 27 in

Jackson. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I'm Rosemary all then the mayor of plan and then the president a Mississippi Republican elected officials Association and I'm delighted to welcome you here tonight to this tribute dinner for Mississippi's first lady Patricia Owens for guys. It is both good and proper. Thank you. It is both fitting and proper that we should be here tonight to expect expressed publicly our gratitude to Pat for Di's for the tremendous impact she's hand on the state of Mississippi. She is truly touched the future with her commitment to the schoolchildren of Mississippi through her many educational programs her commitment to literacy and her work with the Special Olympics. Path forward eyes has reached our lives in ways that we never once dreamed imaginable. Through the palaces of St. Kurt Petersburg and the splendors of her sides events which

brought cultural and historical prominence to Mississippi along with her work with the international ballet competition Mrs. Fordyce has enhanced Mississippi's position worldwide in the Creative and Performing Arts. During her eight years as Mississippi's first lady Pat for Di's has remained a loving mother and a devoted grandmother. And we are pleased that three of her children are here tonight with us. When you think of Pat Fordyce What are the words that come to my charity volunteer grace dignity. She has given Mississippi a role model in which we can be proud. She brought us the palaces of St. Petersburg the splendors of a side she brought the world to us and said doing change the way the world saw Mississippi. She gave the image the positive image that

we believe is Mississippi. She lifted our eyes a little bit higher She said our standards. And she did leave Mississippi a better place. And so we want to thank her tonight and pay tribute to all that she has done with literacy with volunteerism with charity education cultural contributions. She has set the standard for what a first lady should be. And so I'm very proud tonight to pay tribute to you and to say God bless you Patty Fordyce. When I think of our First Lady had two thoughts immediately come to my mind. One is simply elegant. The other is the power of one. I've been privileged to share some unbelievably wonderful experience at events all over the world with our first lady and in every

situation she was simply elegant and used her power of wine to advance causes that she thought important to people whether it was in a conversation with the Israeli ambassador at a concert in the Royal Opera House at the chateau overside of the Berlin Philharmonic or her remarks in the French senate to commemorate the centennial of our own William Faulkner path forward ice was simply elegant and reflected the power of one. And she isn't even paid a salary to do that for Mississippi. Pet Fordyce reminds us of the power of one. With her involvement in creating such things as a hospice in Vicksburg Pat Fordyce was even the Connecting Link to help create the newly established Mississippi high school for the Arts. Really packed Fordyce is a lady who has made a contribution to our state of epic proportion.

In closing the path forward eyes can be compared in her service to Mississippi as first lady. To up to a point written an elevated style in which she is regarded as one who has performed valorous deeds. Her actions have been vast in scope and her actions haven't bit been important to the people of Mississippi. Pat Fordyce will go down in our history as a first lady of epic proportions. Pat you are simply elegant and give meaning real meaning to the phrase the power of the one. We love you and God bless you. And water and honor for May to be invited to pay tribute to the greatest first lady Mississippi has ever had. With her. Thanks ma talk deceiving is going to be a

little bit different than maybe most of. Because you know as we wind down this administration many of us are thinking about what are we gonna do in January. Well I want you to know I've observed the first lady all the last seven and a half years and I have some recommendations for her to consider for new job opportunities as we meet move forward. And one of those happens to be opening a charm school simply because she's charmed every CEO all over this world that we've had industrial development. Thanks. Open a public relations firm. Because she's handled the media with great skill. Thank you. She could be a tour bus driver because she's been down every back road in the

state of Mississippi during a campaign day. Thanks and let me tell you one of the greatest is hosting the shopping network. Because she found the greatest bargains and all over the world she's bought those and brought them home write a book on social adequate adequacy adequate I'm sorry. Because you never made a social blunder just like I did. A movie critic because she has tens every movie that comes here brand new every time and she enjoyed has been whether most of the time maybe become a beautician because she never has a hair out of place on her head. Thank you. How about joining the military what a paratrooper she is that she paratrooper. But Pat we love you and want to find you for loving

Mississippi the people and for serving your state with grace and dignity. We love you very much and thank you for being our first lady. Two days and 38 years ago the lady whom we've come here tonight paid tribute to was in a hospital in Baton Rouge giving birth to her third child. While you all have come to know her as Mississippi's first lady from that day forward she will always be known to me as Mom. Let me tell you a little bit about my mom. Mama raised her four children in Vicksburg Mississippi and now that I'm the father of four children myself I can truly appreciate what it means to raise that many kids. It's a full time job that is not for the weak of heart. Especially if you had siblings like I didn't of course. Of course I was the perfect little angel. However my sister and my two brothers put mama through unmitigated hail.

I felt so bad for her. There were there were times when serious discussions were held amongst us Fordyce kids as to whether or not we should take mama to Whitfield and have her committed. Fortunately things never got quite that bad mom was allowed to stay with us. Believe me Mom was as good a first lady for the Fordyce family as she has been for the state of Mississippi. She was kind. She was kind and compassionate as she is today. She was loving and gentle yet stern when she had to be. She wouldn't hesitate to spit on earth of them to wipe breakfast off by paying for sleep out of mine. I believe that the measure of success for a parent is to watch your children grow into a loving

and caring parents themselves displaying the morals and values that you taught them today. Mama is blessed with been able to watch her four children live their lives the way she taught us. She is the grandmother of 12 beautiful children who affectionately know her as brain. It is truly a pleasure for me to watch my children when they are around their grandmother throughout the years have gained a tremendous amount of respect for my mom. Once she got her four children out of the house she really matured into the beautiful and graceful lady that we all know today. In 1991 our family underwent a tremendous shock when chief announced that he was going to run for governor. We all followed he was crazy. But crazy or not Graham decided that if this is what we're going to do then let's go do it. She was a vital part of the 1991 campaign going somewhere to meet the voters. Just about every day. One of the professionals working with that first campaign told me that that he had

never worked for a candidate and spouse who worked as hard at it as grain and sheep didn't. She traveled with Chief on some occasions however she went by herself on other occasions. She literally put herself before the voters of this state and let there be no doubt about this. Pat Fordyce was elected the first lady of the great state of Mississippi. The four eyes miracle of nineteen ninety one never would have happened without Pat Forde eyes on the ticket and that miracle repeated itself in 1995 when Pat Boras was elected to an unprecedented second term as first lady of the great state of Mississippi. And I honestly believe that had she decided to run for governor in 1999 and certain people were trying to persuade her to do that she would have won by a landslide.

But seriously two days and 38 years ago the good Lord blessed me by bringing me into this world at the hands of a truly magnificent woman. For the past 30 years I've seen my love and admiration and respect for this woman it steadily increase. Tonight I'm as proud as a son could possibly be to be a part of this tribute to an absolutely incredible woman. My mom the best parks lady the great state of Mississippi has ever known. Mama I love you and I'm extremely proud for all that you have accomplished. You are truly a wonderful person. Thank you. What an honor this is to clean as Billy says the tribute to an incredible lady. We have put this lady on a pedestal up here tonight a pedestal that she has earned and she deserves and I believe she'll be on this pedestal the rest of her life as the first lady of the state of Mississippi.

But actually I was elected to come up here tonight and let you know that as wonderful as she is she's still a human being. We have what we call around the house family heirlooms. Then that I've been elected to share a few of them with you. First off it was back I guess in the mid to late sixties. My mother Balt her mother our grandmother who is now what 95 96 years old bought her a nice large black shiny purse for Mother's Day and we had her over for dinner and we were all elementary age school kids at the time. And I'm now learning because I've got some the same age myself kids that age cannot keep a secret. She told us about the purse

so we were dying to tell our grandmother what it was and we were all fighting and arguing over who was going to get to tell Grandmamma what they or Mom what the gift was. And Gran was getting so upset with all of us she said I'm going to punish you if you tell her what it is be quiet sit down. She finally got us all under control and then she looked over her mother and she said Mom would you pass the purse please. You know. She is still human. But what a human being she is. I almost feel sorry for Rosemary Parker because she's got a big job ahead of her thank you we love you grandma. Thank you. We've been friends for a long time and watched you grow into such an extraordinary first lady for your state and representing all of us because when you do you travel overseas you don't just represent Mississippi. You represent all Americans and you've been very special that no

one has listened tonight to all of the things that Pat has done and what she's brought here to Mississippi. You are so fortunate to have had her leadership and her guidance and her enthusiasm. Thank you. People don't realize that when you are the spouse of a political figure there's really no. Roadmap. You kind of make it up as you go you can talk to as many people as you want to who have been in similar situations but know no situations are exactly the same. And when Dan became vice president I went to Barbara Bush and asked her I said you know Barbara you know I don't want to step on your shoes. Give me some guidance you've been here before and have let me know what you she kind of looked at me and she said Well best advice I can give you is

do what you want to do. And I thought that's really not what you did here I wanted a little more than that. But there really was probably the best advice that all you could receive. And. You make the position his position what you want it to be as much or as little as you want it to be. You can contribute as much to your state or to your nation as you'd like to do what works within your framework. And I think what you've seen in your first lady is someone who looked at it not just as a position as a place to entertain but something that she could make and develop into something that would allow your state to flourish and to bring special opportunities to everyone in this state and use her unique talents to bring in the best Republican tradition for the private

sector into public things. Thank you all. I'm fine. It is an honor to be with you tonight. And a joyous celebration for a talented and lovely lady. She's taught us how in good times and in bad times that with a smile on your face and a song in your heart and the prayer in your soul you can withstand so many things and you can inspire others to go above and beyond themselves to help others and to make life better for everyone else. So tonight I join all of you in a tribute to your first lady to a wonderful friend a beautiful lady there for us

and. Anyway when I first became your first lady and I stay a freelance tan easily I moved to tears. Stacey Hi. My executive assistant at the time said that if you looked up the tears or wrote back in your head and not down your face. I have spent the biased last 8 years looking up and tonight I can tell you every detail of the ceiling in this manner. What can I say. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to be Republican elected officials Association. All this lovely evening I will never forget one moment of it. I am overcome and once again moved to tears.

Marilyn Quayle and you honor all of us for your presence. You have taken town from your family and your busy schedule to come here tonight to be with us and to honor me and thank you. Congressman Pickering I admire you so much and what you have done then are doing for our state in our nation and to think that you have come here tonight to me is very very special and I thank you and I cherish your friendship. Billy monger you tell everyone that and I outrank you you know and maybe our way air power symbol. Then you as a Russian Knight but no wind out ranks Billy monger. Thank her. He has been my pleasure to work with Bailey with the international ballet and

oh account of other projects through the years. Thank you for serving tonight as a tribute chairman and the master of ceremonies. I really appreciate it. And check out haven't we had some experiences you and I have been to Paris three times and to spending and with these exhibitions we have brought the world to Mississippi. Jack is about to receive France's highest award in the arts. Sir Jack Kyle and we're all very much thank her. With Sam Morris thank you for the lovely invocation and for your friendship and support and story. Jamie how little you Joanna ever terrace have you may have a first in while.

The money. Not only are you the best economic development director in the nation and have awards to prove it but you are one of the dearest sweetest me and I know that was. Absolutely beautiful. Us such a dear dear friend to me and I thank you for sharing your a minute's talent with us tonight. Your tribute was beautiful. Thank you. With. Thanks to my old Vicksburg friends and my new Jackson friends and friends from all over the state I thank you most humbly for your attendance and choro sick to VA system who plans my life and runs my life. However what I do it without you. If I mention names now leave someone out. So to each of you let me say thank you for letting me

drain dreams and go places and meet people and grow into the strong self-confident woman that I have become. None of this would have been possible without your help and your love and your support. You put me here and I know that. And now to my family my daughter and she and son stay and honor a GM who's not able to be with us tonight. I gave you lie and in return you're giving me such joy. And if I could have handpicked your mates date in sailing and retire and Serena who's not here because she has a brain you baby you were the ones I would have chosen. And thank you for 12 gorgeous grandchildren represented tonight Baggini Rosales who has a who

and our killer used to end and then is on crutches and she got here anyway from the math and science and I love you Genie to my mother in a ways I wish she could be with us. We miss you and love you. It is no secret to you in this room or to anyone in the state or to anyone in the nation for that matter that I have had and having and will be having some rough times. I'm like the mule who's failing the whale and was braying our Whatever our mules do when they followed the whales. And the farmer came along and looked into the whale and decided it was not worth the effort to save him he would just feel in that way Al and Barry who knew the first shovelful hit the meal and they hurt anybody's head.

But then he straightened up and he said I will not be buried. And when each below that you're his him he would shake it off and step up shake it all and step up. Eventually the dirt field the way I'll and then we'll step down determined and strong and free. That's why her skin very you are you can shake you know and step up. And with God's help out because I shake her and the step. Was Thank you.

None of you has given me the strength and the courage to do so. I asked her and he ate heartily grateful for the opportunity to have served as your first lady. Again thank you for this memorable evening this wonderful tribute this very special honor. I love you and God bless. You my sons fighting for hard life for her to be united in this is that these personally that died the first lady was recognized for her seven and a half years of service to Mississippi. A tribute dinner was hosted by the Mississippi Republican elected officials Association.

The ceremony took place Aug. 27 in Jackson.