Photos courtesy of Linda DeMarco.
Paul DeMarco- Senior Citizens
Senior Citizens Hall of Fame inductee Rep. Paul DeMarco and Commissioner Morrison.
The Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame held its 2013 induction ceremonies recently at the First Baptist Church in Montgomery. Established by an Act of the Legislature in 1983, the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame seeks to recognize the state’s citizens “who have made outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the lives of older Americans.”
Three residents and a representative from Vestavia were honored.
Linda DeMarco was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her efforts to improve the health and well-being of senior citizens throughout the Birmingham metro and surrounding areas. Her career at the Jefferson County Health Department covered more than three decades as nutritional professional, assistant director of the bureau, health center administrator and director of General Services. She has served in leadership capacities in many civic and professional organizations. She is currently president of the Jefferson County Department of Health retiree’s chapter of the Alabama Retired State Employees Association (ARSEA) and also serves on the state board of directors.
She was elected to the Alabama Silver Haired Legislature in 2010 and currently serves as Chairman of the Jefferson County ASHL delegation. Her military career (1975 to 2003) earned her the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard. Her assigned units were 109th Evacuation Hospital and COSCOM in Birmingham and STARC in Montgomery. She was deployed in 1990-91 to Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
Lawrence Shelton Hawsey was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his service in every major Alabama office of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), including serving as its president in 2005 and his years of leadership in the retired extension service chapter, and his contribution to every program for older members of the Auburn Methodist Church. His civic services include: past president of the Wetumpka Lions Club, past vice president of the Opelika Lions Club, past chairman of Wetumpka Family Life Conference and past division chairman of the Montgomery/Wetumpka United Appeal.
Dr. Donald E. Wilson (not pictured) received the Religion Award. Dr. Wilson has taught Sunday school class at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Homewood for more than 20 years. This class has more than 125 members, ages 50-85. Dr. Wilson shares his life experiences from the military and world travels escorting students all over Europe and using these comparisons to Biblical history in his Sunday school teachings. After retiring from the Air Force, Dr. Wilson served 25 yeas as professor of history in the Samford University History Department. He was department chair for 10 years and was appointed history professor emeritus. He published two books following retirement on the Air War in Europe, including his most recent, Alabama Bomber Boys. He has been very active in supporting the Birmingham Honor Flight and trips to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., with contributions of all book royalties to that cause. He was awarded the national Freedom Foundation Award in 2009. Since the publication of his book, he has been very active as a speaker at more than 40 different locations including local civic clubs, patriotic organizations and others.
Rep. Paul DeMarco (R - Homewood) received one of the Statesman Awards for sponsoring and passing the “Protecting Alabama’s Elders Act,” which strengthens the law that combats cases of neglect, mistreatment and financial abuse of the elderly.
DeMarco serves as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Oversight Committee for the Alabama Homeland Security Agency and co-chair of the Jefferson County Delegation. Since his election, he has sponsored bills in the areas of ethics, constitutional reform and public safety. He sponsored one of the seven ethic bills passed during the historic Special Session on Ethics Reform. Rep. DeMarco sponsored the House version of the 2013 Elder Justice legislation, a major act of the Alabama Legislature.
