---
title: HR 1653. Pearce, Mack Allington; honoring the life and memory; condolences
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1653
cite_as: HR 1653, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1653
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1653.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1653/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74001
date: 2026-03-09
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1652.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1654.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1653.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1653
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-09
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Noel Williams
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1653/2025
upstream_id: 2131406
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - memorial resolution
  - Georgia farmers
  - military veterans
  - Cordele Georgia
---

# HR 1653. Pearce, Mack Allington; honoring the life and memory; condolences

## Text

House Resolution 1653
By: Representative Williams of the 148th
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and memory of Mack Allington Pearce; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens
with the passing of Mack Allington Pearce; and
WHEREAS, Mack Allington Pearce was born on July 15, 1935, in Wilcox County, Georgia,
becoming part of a multi-generational family of Georgia farmers; and
WHEREAS, 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"; and
WHEREAS, as a man of deep and abiding faith, he followed Biblical principals in his
farming practices, honoring the Sabbath by not working on Sundays and following a rotation
of planting that allowed his fields to lay fallow every seven years; and
WHEREAS, he received many honors in recognition of his exceptional watermelons and his
dedication to the land he worked and stewarded throughout his life, including King
Watermelon, Sweetest Watermelon, Best Watermelon, and Georgia Soil Conservationist; and
WHEREAS, he further served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty with the
United States Army, valiantly and courageously protecting his fellow Americans from 1957
to 1959 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and
WHEREAS, Mack Allington Pearce was united in love and marriage to his wife, Betty
Willene Pearce, and was blessed with three remarkable children, Kim, Suzette, and Suzanne;
and
WHEREAS, he gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern
for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he demonstrated to his
family and friends were admired by others; and
WHEREAS, he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation
for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example he made of his life, he
made this world a better place in which to live; and
WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Mack Allington Pearce will long be
remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who
had the great fortune of knowing him.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
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.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the
family of Mack Allington Pearce.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

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.

### Plain-language summary

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 it 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.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-09)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-09)
- Sponsors: Noel Williams
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74001

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1653.md?full=1