A JOINT RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of Linwood Eborn Mercer, former member of the general assembly.
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer was born on September 12, 1946, in Washington, North Carolina, to Judge Linwood Erastus Mercer and Elsie Eborn Mercer; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer attended the public schools in Beaufort County and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer and his family moved to the Town of Farmville in 1974; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer ran a number of successful businesses, including a warehousing business, a hardware store, and a local commercial real estate business; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer later consolidated many of his Farmville business operations into one organization and named it The Mercer Group; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer showed a strong interest in local politics, serving as Mayor of the Town of Farmville from 1979 to 1981, as a member of the Pitt County Board of Commissioners from 1988 to 1993, and as chair of that board from 1991 through 1992; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer served with honor and distinction in the House of Representatives from 1993‑1998, contributing as a member of several committees, including Agriculture, Finance, Pensions and Retirement, and Transportation; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer became a political lobbyist after serving in the General Assembly and in that capacity worked on behalf of numerous organizations and businesses, including the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, Inc., Lowes Motor Speedway, Wellpath Community Health Plans, North Carolina Economic Group, Community Financial Services Association, GlaxoSmithKlein, Inc., Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area Association, Accenture, AT & T Wireless, Cingular Wireless, North Carolina Hospital Association, Cyntex Construction, North Carolina Society for Respiratory Care, North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, and Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer worked diligently for the good of his community, serving as chair of the Farmville Community Arts Council, president of the Farmville Economic Council and Pitt County School Education Foundation, vice‑chair of the Pitt County Board of Health, and a member of the Pitt County Development Commission; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer received several honors and recognitions, including the Farmville Small Business Leader of the Year in 1993 and the Farmville Citizen of the Year in 1996; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer was active in the Farmville United Methodist Church; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer died on March 17, 2002; and
Whereas, Linwood Eborn Mercer was a devoted husband to his beloved wife, Alice Williams Mercer; a loving father to his daughters Becky Mercer, Sarah Mercer Massey, and Nancy Mercer Ayers; and a loving and proud grandfather to his two grandsons, Clayton Massey and Thomas Ayers; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly honors the memory of Linwood Eborn Mercer and expresses the gratitude and appreciation of this State and its citizens for the service he rendered to his community and the State of North Carolina.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Linwood Eborn Mercer for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Linwood Eborn Mercer.
SECTION 4.  This resolution becomes effective upon ratification.