WHEREAS, Florence King, an esteemed financial educator, accomplished civic activist, and prominent and beloved member of the Alexandria community, died on December 9, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Florence King excelled in school despite the segregationist policies prevailing throughout her childhood, graduating from Luther Jackson High School in Tysons before earning a bachelor's degree in sociology with a minor in business administration from George Mason University; and

WHEREAS, Florence King worked the first 17 years of her career with the United States Government, serving first at the Army National Guard Personnel Center at the Pentagon, where she was recognized with the agency's Meritorious Service Award and promoted to chief of the Military Personnel Records Branch, and later at the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and

WHEREAS, Florence King went on to found FMK Credit Services in 1991, providing thousands of clients with valuable financial advice to enable them to improve their credit ratings and realize opportunities for success; and

WHEREAS, Florence King later founded the FMK Credit Education Center in 2005 and the nonprofit FMK Financial Literacy Center in 2016, advancing her mission to help disadvantaged families and seniors achieve greater independence and economic stability; and

WHEREAS, Florence King demonstrated her deep commitment to Alexandria through her service with various local civic organizations, including as vice chair of Agenda: Alexandria, as vice president of the Northern Virginia Urban League Guild, and as a board member of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and Living Legends of Alexandria; and

WHEREAS, Florence King felt a personal connection to the Northern Virginia region and its history as a descendent of Thornton and Thomasine Gray, who had both been enslaved at President George Washington's Mount Vernon plantation in their lifetimes; and

WHEREAS, Florence King was a driving force in organizations such as the Historic Alexandria Resources Commission, the Freedmen Cemetery Memorial steering committee, and the Laurel Grove School Association, which maintains the only remaining African American schoolhouse in Northern Virginia; and

WHEREAS, in recognition of her tireless efforts to teach financial literacy and serve her community, Florence King was held in high regard by public leaders across Alexandria and named an Alexandria Living Legend in 2018; and

WHEREAS, guided throughout her life by her faith, Florence King enjoyed worship and fellowship with her community at McLean Bible Church, where she was a vital member of the financial counseling team ministry for nearly 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Florence King will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by her children, siblings, and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Florence King, an influential and cherished member of the Alexandria community whose dedication to serving others touched countless lives; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Florence King as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory.