Senate Bill sb2372

    Florida Senate - 2001        (NP)                      SR 2372

    By Senators Holzendorf, Lawson, Dawson, Miller, Jones and Meek





    2-1928-01

  1                    Senate Resolution No. ____

  2         A resolution expressing regret at the death of

  3         Douglas Lee "Tim" Jamerson, former State

  4         Representative, Commissioner of Education, and

  5         Secretary of Labor and Employment Security.

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  7         WHEREAS, the Florida Senate, with deep regret, has

  8  learned of the death of former Representative Douglas Lee

  9  Jamerson, and

10         WHEREAS, Representative Jamerson served with

11  distinction in the Florida House of Representatives from 1982

12  until 1993 and later held the offices of Commissioner of

13  Education and Secretary of the Department of Labor and

14  Employment Security, and

15         WHEREAS, it is fitting that the Florida Senate

16  commemorate the passing of an individual who served his

17  district and the State of Florida so admirably, NOW,

18  THEREFORE,

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20  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

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22         That the Florida Senate does pause in its deliberations

23  to pay its respects to the late Douglas Lee "Tim" Jamerson,

24  former State Representative, Commissioner of Education, and

25  Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment Security

26  and that the Florida Senate in session assembled does record

27  this testimonial of esteem and bereavement:

28                           IN MEMORIAM

29                       DOUGLAS LEE JAMERSON

30         Douglas Lee "Tim" Jamerson was born October 16, 1947,

31  in St. Petersburg, Florida. He grew up in the poor St.

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    Florida Senate - 2001        (NP)                      SR 2372
    2-1928-01




  1  Petersburg neighborhoods, attended Bishop Barry High School

  2  (now St. Petersburg Catholic), and graduated from St.

  3  Petersburg Junior College, the University of South Florida,

  4  and the St. Petersburg Police Academy. After his honorable

  5  discharge from the United States Air Force, at the rank of

  6  Staff Sergeant, he was employed for many years in the Pinellas

  7  County school system. Beginning in 1982, Mr. Jamerson served

  8  5-1/2 terms in the House of Representatives. Subsequently,

  9  Governor Lawton Chiles appointed him state Commissioner of

10  Education, and, in 1995, Governor Chiles made him Secretary of

11  Labor. Mr. Jamerson achieved many marvelous feats in his

12  high-level state positions, including designing and

13  implementing the system that allowed former welfare recipients

14  to become employed, re-engineering the unemployment-tax design

15  system for the state, establishing the state's distance

16  learning project, and securing funds for the Safe School

17  Program. In addition to his many professional achievements, he

18  remained intensely interested in the welfare of his hometown,

19  as evidenced by his personally intervening to defuse racial

20  tensions in St. Petersburg in 1996. During that time, Doug

21  Jamerson walked the streets of his city and calmed angry

22  crowds through his persuasiveness. Although, to the end of his

23  life, Douglas Jamerson spoke of his next anticipated political

24  move; gave public speeches; and, several times a month,

25  visited the poor St. Petersburg neighborhoods where he grew

26  up, he nevertheless bravely withheld news of his illness from

27  virtually everyone who knew him. On April 21, the cancer that

28  he had fought for several years claimed his life at the age of

29  53, leaving as his closest survivors: his wife, Leatha Young

30  Jamerson; his son, Cedric Alexander Jamerson; his mother and

31  stepfather, Neva J. and Rue McGill; his sisters, Terecina Rice

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    Florida Senate - 2001        (NP)                      SR 2372
    2-1928-01




  1  and Donna Jamerson; and his brother, Michael Jamerson. Many

  2  who served with him praised his accomplishments and mourned

  3  his unfulfilled promise, including Representative Frank

  4  Peterman, who said: "For me, Doug Jamerson was the

  5  quintessential politician and statesman. And he was the

  6  ultimate African-American government official from St.

  7  Petersburg, and also probably the state of Florida. He

  8  represented all that is right in public service." Former St.

  9  Petersburg Mayor David Fischer declared: "He's certainly one

10  of the political pioneers of the African-American community. I

11  never heard an unkind statement about him or his work. There

12  was nothing but respect." By these and many other associates

13  and friends, as well as his beloved family, Tim Jamerson will

14  be sorely missed.

15         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution,

16  signed by the President of the Senate, be transmitted to Mrs.

17  Leatha Jamerson, widow of Douglas Jamerson, as a tangible

18  token of the sentiments expressed herein and a lasting symbol

19  of the respect of the members of the Florida Senate.

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