Georgia CommonsHR 1653: Pearce, Mack Allington; honoring the life and memory; condolences
Last action March 9, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors the life and memory of Mack Allington Pearce, a longtime Wilcox County watermelon farmer and Army veteran, and offers condolences to his family.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution is a ceremonial measure from the Georgia House of Representatives recognizing Mack Allington Pearce, who was born in 1935 in Wilcox County and farmed thousands of acres near Cordele, known as the Watermelon Capital of the World, for more than 60 years. It recounts his military service with the United States Army from 1957 to 1959, his family life with his wife Betty Willene Pearce and their three children, and various farming honors he received during his life. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally expresses the House's regret at his passing and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to his family.
What the bill does
- Formally expresses the House of Representatives' sincere regret over the death of Mack Allington Pearce.
- Recounts his decades of watermelon farming near Cordele and his military service at Fort Sill, Oklahoma from 1957 to 1959.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to his family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or penalty since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a bill amending Georgia statutes.
Who it affects
This resolution directly affects the family of Mack Allington Pearce, including his wife Betty Willene Pearce and children Kim, Suzette, and Suzanne, who will receive an official copy. It has no legal effect on the general public.
Why it matters
While it carries no legal or financial consequences, the resolution provides an official, public record of the Georgia House's recognition of Pearce's life and contributions as a farmer and veteran, offering a formal gesture of condolence to his family.
Key provisions
- The resolution's whereas clauses detail Pearce's biography, including his birth in Wilcox County in 1935 and his decades of farming near Cordele.
- It notes his military service with the United States Army from 1957 to 1959 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
- The resolving clause states the House joins in honoring his life and memory and expresses regret at his passing.
- A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available for distribution to his family.
From the bill
“for more than 60 years, he independently farmed the thousands of acres once maintained by his grandfather, growing and selling millions of pounds of watermelons in Cordele, Georgia, the "Watermelon Capital of the World"”
“the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Mack Allington Pearce and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Noel Williams (R, HD-148)
Topics
- memorial resolution
- Georgia farmers
- military veterans
- Cordele Georgia