GLORIA KING, MMC
MAY 1954 – SEPTEMBER 2011
Clerks apply for the Gloria King Memorial Scholarship each year to attend the Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute. Very few of them know or understand the great lady, clerk and mentor that Gloria King was. It is on recommendation from the 2015 – 2016 LMCA Institute / Scholarship Committee that we inform all clerks how important she was to our profession, to our association and to our lives.
Gloria served as deputy clerk to the City of Delhi for two years until her appointment to city clerk on September 1, 1982. She continued to work until she lost her battle with cancer in September 2011. She was relentless in her pursuit of excellence in public service, seeking and earning her Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation in 1990 and her Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) designation in 2003 through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.
In 1995, Gloria was elected as an LMCA Trustee. She served as chairwoman of several committees and in 2001, she took her reign as LMCA President. In 2004, she represented the municipal clerks of the states of Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana as IIMC Region IV Director. She served on numerous committees, task forces and liaison positions with the IIMC. One of Gloria’s great passions was to ensure that municipal clerks had the opportunity to further their education and certification. She strongly believed that education should be attainable for all clerks at an affordable cost.
Gloria had a wonderful spirit about her with a calmness and grace to handle any situation. She was a strong Christian woman involved in many church activities. Gloria served her community and her colleagues with dedication and honor. She led with a compassionate heart and her perseverance was immeasurable. Her legacy is her love, her endless respect for others, her selflessness, her grace and her smile. Every city clerk should have a certain degree of grace and Gloria was the epitome of that and she deserves all the respect in the world.
Robert Frost wrote that “…a poem begins with a lump in the throat…” but Cynthia Bowman, Bryan, TX, when speaking about Gloria King, said that a great inspirational story begins with a lump in the throat and ends with a tear in your eye and warmth in your heart. Gloria King will always be remembered in our hearts.
Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial LaMATS Scholarship
Mayor Eugene Smith (1933—2018)
Eligible Louisiana municipal staff may apply for the Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial LaMATS Scholarship to attend conferences and other educational events sponsored by the Louisiana Municipal Clerks Association (LMCA) as well as the Louisiana Association of Municipal Secretaries and Assistants (LAMSA).
The scholarship, named in honor of the late and beloved Arcadia Mayor Eugene Smith, was established in May of 2018 by unanimous vote of the Louisiana Municipal Advisory and Technical Services Bureau (LaMATS) Board of Directors, on which Mayor Smith served with distinction for many years, including an unprecedented five year term as President.
The Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial LaMATS Scholarship will assist municipal employees to secure important training and professional certifications and seeks to make a positive impact on communities throughout our great State of Louisiana. Mayor Smith’s support and love for building stronger communities will live on in each of the recipients of this annual gift.
LAMSA and LMCA members interested in applying for the Mayor Eugene Smith Memorial LaMATS Scholarship should contact their association officials prior to upcoming events or other educational opportunities. LaMATS is grateful for the dedication and professionalism found throughout the leadership and memberships of these important organizations.
LaMATS is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA).
