WHEREAS, on March 26, 1998 the State of Delaware lost a respected citizen when Ethel Mae Cooper passed away; and

WHEREAS, Ethel graduated from Howard High School and later attended the Philadelphia School of Practical Nursing, took courses at the University of Delaware, received Pastoral Care Training at the Wilmington Medical Center, and obtained an A.A.S. degree in Human Services from Delaware Technical and Community College; and

WHEREAS, Ethel worked at Emily P. Bissell Hospital, with the mentally challenged at the Governor Bacon Health Center, and in social services at the Belvedere State Service Center, and for a total of 30 years was a dedicated employee of the State of Delaware until her retirement in 1991; and

WHEREAS, Ethel attended the Eastern Baptist Seminary and, in October 1981, became an ordained minister who went on to become the first woman of color to serve as Chaplain at the Medical Center of Delaware; and

WHEREAS, Ethel Mae Cooper was a community activist who fought to keep the Absalom Jones School in Belvedere open and later succeeded in having the school reopened for community use; and

WHEREAS, she was chairperson of the Absalom Jones Advisory Board, and was a member of the Belvedere Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, the Civic Association of Belvedere & Vicinity, the YWCA, the Head Start Board and the Absalom Jones Senior Center, to name just a few of her many community service commitments; and

WHEREAS, former Governor Michael N. Castle proclaimed April 30, 1988, as Ethel Cooper Day, and the 134^th General Assembly honored her by written resolution for her outstanding work in Human Services; and

WHEREAS, in 1965, Ethel was instrumental in establishing the first Head Start program in the Belvedere and Cedar Heights communities; and

WHEREAS, every year Ethel sent children to Camp Barnes, a camp for underprivileged children in Sussex County, and worked with New Castle County to help provide recreational activities for young people at Absalom Jones Community Center; and

WHEREAS, in the mid-1980s, Ethel had a personal vision to open a safe, affordable day care center for children of young working mothers; and

WHEREAS, she started out in 1986 by housing the day care center at the Belvedere Fire Hall and then in the basement of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, in 1988, she entered an agreement with New Castle County to house the Wagstaff Day Care Center in the Absalom Jones School; and

WHEREAS, despite a parent’s inability to pay, she would never put a child out of the day care; and

WHEREAS, as the Wagstaff Day Care Center grew in numbers, it went from one classroom to three, providing care for children from age 6 weeks to 12 years old, continuing to provide a loving, caring atmosphere for children to learn and flourish; and

WHEREAS, when Ethel’s health began to fail, she asked her daughter, Freddie, to become the executive director of Wagstaff Day Care Center, while Ethel stayed as active as possible in the business until her death at the age of 70; and

WHEREAS, after 20 years of serving the community, the Wagstaff Day Care Center remains a vital part of the Cedar Heights and Belvedere communities; and

WHEREAS, Ethel Mae Cooper’s works and actions illustrate her dedication and devotion to her community; and

WHEREAS, with her famous words, “I’m Blessed, better than Blessed”, Ethel Mae Cooper’s legacy surrounds the community to this day as children attend both the Wagstaff Day Care Center and Head Start program, and the community continues to feel her positive, loving spirit; and

WHEREAS, in May, 2006, the Civic Association of Belvedere & Vicinity moved to acknowledge Ethel Mae Cooper’s significant contributions and years of dedication to the community; and

WHEREAS, this General Assembly, and the Governor of this State, believe it to be a fitting and appropriate tribute to the life and legacy of Ethel Mae Cooper that the wing of the Absalom Jones Community Center housing the Wagstaff Day Care Center and New Castle County Head Start classrooms be dedicated in her honor and memory;

NOW THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 143^rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, with the approval of the Governor, that the Secretary of the Office of Management and Budget is hereby directed to dedicate the wing of the Absalom Jones Community Center, located at 310 Kiamensi Road, Belvedere, which houses the Wagstaff Day Care Center and New Castle County Head Start classrooms, in the memory and honor of Ethel Mae Cooper for her years of dedicated service to this State and her community, with all dignity and grandeur befitting the occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitably prepared copy of this Joint Resolution be given to Ms. Freddie Mae Anderson, daughter of Ethel Mae Cooper, as well as to Ms. Linda Anderson, President of the Civic Association of Belvedere & Vicinity, and Ms. Frances Marks of Cedar Heights.

SPONSOR:	Sen. Peterson & Rep. Gilligan & Sen. Blevins & Rep. Hudson