LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport
upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by the New
Hope Missionary Baptist Church on June 16, 2012

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport has given not only of
her time and energies but also of her competence, intelligence and lead-
ership and consequently has been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor First Lady
Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport upon the occasion of her designation for
special recognition by the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, to be
celebrated at its First Ladies Appreciation Banquet on Saturday, June
16, 2012, at the Imperial Room in Inwood, New York; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport has been called upon
to contribute her time and talents to countless civic and charitable
endeavors and has always given of herself unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport is a native of Jack-
sonville, Florida; she attended Oakland Elementary School in Jackson-
ville, Florida, and later moved to New York with her parents; and
WHEREAS, After graduation from Washington Irving High School in New
York City, she married the late Reverend Dr. John. A. Bethea, the former
pastor of Prophetic Church of God; and
WHEREAS, In 1983, Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport served as president of
the Board of Christian Education of the Eastern New York General Assem-
bly of the Church of God; and
WHEREAS, For more than 25 years, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Daven-
port served the children and youth ministries and was the first organiz-
er and administrator of Christian Training and Recreation Ministry Day
Care at First Church of God in Far Rockaway; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport organized and directed
the year round After School Tutorial Program and Summer Day Camp; she
also served as director of the Summer Youth Delinquent Development with
its site at Hammels Houses Community Center; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport has also been a Girl
Scout Leader and Adult Trainer and Field Representative for The Girl
Scouts of Greater New York; and
WHEREAS, This remarkable woman was an Executive member of the Nassau
County Chapter of the E.G. Reems International Women Ministries and
participated in Aglow Women Prayer Breakfast and Annual Christian Lunch-
eon; and
WHEREAS, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport accepted the call to
the Teaching Ministry in the year 2000 and retired after 19 years of
service to the Rockaway Vendor Housekeeping Agency, Inc. as a Personnel
Specialist, assigning and scheduling housekeepers to minister to the
elderly, sick, shut-in and handicapped; and
WHEREAS, Currently, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport is now
committed to full time teaching Ministry; she is the Church School
Superintendent at First Church of God, Far Rockaway, New York; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of her community service, a
period of constructive involvement, First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Daven-
port has stood constant in dignity, good grace and humor; and
WHEREAS, With her throughout have been her husband, Rev. Dr. Arthur W.
Davenport and her five children, ten grandchildren, and four great-
grandchildren, all of whom feel privileged to be a part of her life and
rejoice in her achievements; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Daven-
port has displayed throughout her life; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport upon the occasion of her
designation for special recognition by the New Hope Missionary Baptist
Church on June 16, 2012; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to First Lady Norma Gean Bethea-Davenport.