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TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES UPON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE JOYCE C. HEARN OF RICHLAND COUNTY AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HER LARGE AND LOVING FAMILY AND HER MANY FRIENDS.
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives were saddened to learn of the death of The Honorable Joyce C. Hearn on Wednesday, January 20, 2021; and
Whereas, born in Cedartown, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late J. C. Camp and Carolyn Carter Camp. When she was only sixteen years old she enrolled at West Georgia College, where she met her future husband, Thomas H. Hearn. She transferred to the University of Georgia and earned a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio State University; and
Whereas, after her graduation, the couple moved to Columbia, where Mrs. Hearn taught at Eau Claire High School; and
Whereas, she entered public life working with the 1970 Census, and she became the director of both the North and South Carolina United States Census. She was active in the South Carolina Republican Party until her retirement in 2015, working tirelessly to elect Republicans. She championed every Republican presidential candidate from Barry Goldwater to George W. Bush; and
Whereas, an active volunteer in the Republican Party, Mrs. Hearn was elected to serve as chair of the county organization in 1972. In 1975, she was elected as a representative in the South Carolina House of Representatives serving District 76 until 1990. The State newspapers described her victories as "landslides" or once, when she had a forty percent lead over an opponent, an "earthquake"; and
Whereas, for many years, Representative Hearn was the only woman serving in the state's Legislature, and was so well respected by her peers, that she was named assistant minority leader from 1976 to 1978 and 1987 to 1989. She worked tirelessly to protect the rights of crime victims, and her work to expand the prosecution of rape to include degrees of criminal sexual assault has changed the way the South Carolina public views rape, a change that has given hope to all victims of domestic violence; and
Whereas, in 1990, then Governor Carroll Campbell appointed Representative Hearn to serve as the chairman of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission; and
Whereas. after her service with the commission, she began a second career in public relations with her own company Hearn & Associates, until she retired in 2014. She also served as chairman of the National Advisory Commission on Occupational Safety and Health; and
Whereas, Representative Hearn was a founder of the National Order of Women Legislators, which continues to provide a national forum for women's networking across all state legislatures. Her active participation in a wide variety of community organizations included service on the boards of the Columbia Urban League, the Federation of the Blind, the Columbia Museum, and Columbia College; and
Whereas, in 1979, her significant contributions to the Palmetto State were recognized when Governor Edwards awarded her the Order of the Palmetto. Other recognition included being named Legislator of the Year by the Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the South Carolina Association of Disabled Citizens, and the South Carolina Committee on Sexual Assault. She received the 1985 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Distinguished Service Award for her work regarding open containers and raising the drinking age to twenty-one; and
Whereas, a member of Kathwood Baptist Church and a Sunday school regular, she, along with her late husband, reared three fine daughters: Terri Hearn Bailey, Kimberly H. Johnson, and C. Lee Hearn Becker. They blessed her with the affection of six grandchildren: Carter Reston Potts, Joyce Carolyn "Josie" Bailey, Ruth Elisabeth "Lisa" Bailey, Sarah Hearn Bailey, Jason Thomas Becker, and Daniel Gustav Becker; and
Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for the life and legacy of Joyce Hearn and for the standard of joyful service and excellence she set for all who knew her. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, express their profound sorrow upon the passing of the Honorable Joyce C. Hearn of Richland County and extend their deepest sympathy to her large and loving family and her many friends.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of the Honorable Joyce C. Hearn.
This web page was last updated on January 27, 2021 at 2:20 PM