The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN MEMORY OF THE HONORABLE MARY ALICE BUCKNER
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HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Monday, September 20, 2021
Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary public servant, mentor to many, trailblazer, mother, and dear friend of longstanding, Judge Mary Alice Buckner. Sadly, Judge Buckner transitioned on Friday, September 10, 2021. A celebration of her life was held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 18, 2021, at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, 4400 Old Cusseta Road in Columbus, Georgia.
Mary Alice Buckner was born in Columbus, Georgia on March 3, 1948, as the fifth of nine children to the late Reverend Otis Buckner and Mrs. Beatrice Rogers Buckner. She was educated in the Muscogee County public schools, graduating with honors in 1966, from George Washington Carver High School. She decided early what career she would pursue, choosing law because she wanted her voice to be heard and to make a difference in society. Mary enrolled at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in History and Political Science in 1970. She was accepted into Emory Law School, and after completing her first year, transferred to Mercer University, where in 1973 she received a Juris Doctorate from the Walter F. George School of Law, becoming the first African American female to graduate from Mercer Law School.
Mary Buckner accepted Christ at an early age becoming a lifelong member of Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, serving over the years in the Sanctuary Choir, the Pulpit Search Committee, the Welcome Circle Mission, the Mount Pilgrim Legal Counsel Board and President of the Matrons 2. In 1975, Mary Buckner joined my law firm, Bishop and Hudlin. In 1978, the firm changed to Bishop and Buckner, P.C., and she became a full partner specializing in real estate, probate, bankruptcy, and domestic relations. We continued our practice up through 1992 when I was elected to Congress at which time, she formed her own private practice. Madam Speaker, Mary Buckner was a pioneer, paving the way for women and minorities. In February of 1984, she became the first African American woman appointed Judge Pro Tem of the Columbus Recorder's Court, and in 1991, she was appointed by the City Council to serve full time, which she did with distinction until her retirement in 2019.
Judge Buckner made significant contributions to the community through her involvement and volunteer work in organizations such as the Columbus Community Center, Past President of the Columbus Technical College Board, member and Past President of the Georgia Legal Services Board, member of the A.J. McClung YMCA Board, and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her concern for others, especially children, led her to become a foster parent. Judge Buckner's bar affiliations include memberships in the State Bar of Georgia, American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Columbus Bar Association, and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys.
Among her numerous honors and awards are: The Tony Baldwin Trailblazer Award presented by the Black Law Students Association Alumni Council of Mercer University; The Barbara A. Harris Award for Service to the Community; and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Tau Omega Chapter 2009 Rosa Parks Women of Courage Honoree. She always advised others and especially young people that a person can achieve any goal with hard work, dedication, and commitment. She continued to make strides and create paths for diversity in the legal profession and wanted her legacy to show that she was fair yet compassionate on the bench. She knew that she had to follow the law but at the same time show empathy and concern for the wellbeing of all.
Judge Buckner accomplished much throughout her life, but none of this would have been possible without her enduring faith in God, the love and nurture of her parents, siblings, children, Jontell and Jackie, as well as her vast extended family, friends, and associates, all of whom will miss her deeply.
On a personal note, I have known Judge Buckner as ``Mary B.'' since 1970, when I met her at Emory Law School. She and her family have inspired me and countless others. Not only was she my law partner, but she was my sister and trusted friend. Her friendship and support over the years have contributed mightily to my professional and political success, and I will be forever grateful that she has been a part of my life.
Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District of Georgia in paying tribute to the Honorable Mary Alice Buckner for her service to humankind and in extending our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all those who mourn her loss. Moreover, we pray that we will all be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 162
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