H.R. No. 1034
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The city of Houston lost an esteemed leader and a
dynamic trailblazer with the death of Eleanor Whilden Tinsley on
February 10, 2009, at the age of 82; and
WHEREAS, The daughter of W. C. and Georgiabel Whilden, the
former Eleanor Whilden was born in Dallas on October 31, 1926; she
attended William and Mary College before going on to earn her
bachelor's degree from Baylor University; she married a fellow
Baylor graduate, James Tinsley, and they moved to Houston in 1953;
the devoted couple became the parents of three children and later
welcomed seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter into the
family; they shared a rewarding relationship for 59 years until Mr.
Tinsley's death in 2007; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Tinsley was active in civic and church affairs
as a young mother; deeply committed to racial equality and civil
rights, she joined the Citizens for Good Schools slate as a
desegregation candidate for the Houston Independent School
District, winning election in 1969 and becoming president in 1972;
during this turbulent time, she endured vandalism and harassment,
but remained true to the causes in which she believed; she was
instrumental in making the integration process orderly and
peaceful, and in developing the magnet school concept that became a
national model; Mrs. Tinsley also led the way in the establishment
of the Volunteers in Public School program and the creation of the
Houston Community College System; and
WHEREAS, Following her school board tenure, Mrs. Tinsley was
appointed to the board of the Houston Housing Authority; she became
president of Harris County Children's Protective Services and
helped found the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards, serving as
its president; in 1979, she became one of the first women elected to
citywide political office in Houston and during her 16 years in
office, she initiated important legislation dealing with
anti-crime measures, city administration, urban planning, and
economic development; and
WHEREAS, This petite, elegant woman possessed enormous
reserves of both charm and resolve; adopting the turtle as her
symbol, she proclaimed that only people who stick their necks out
get things done; she radically altered the way the city served its
citizens and she improved quality of life by fighting to ban indoor
smoking, restrict the proliferation of unsightly billboards,
establish the 9-1-1 emergency network, organize the mounted patrol,
and establish the READ Commission for adult literacy; in 1983, she
created the SPARK School Park Program to develop public school
grounds into neighborhood parks; and
WHEREAS, After leaving public office, Mrs. Tinsley continued
to work in behalf of SPARK, which has won numerous local, state, and
national awards; through the years, she participated in many
community organizations and served on the boards of Planned
Parenthood, the Baylor Alumni Association, and the Baptist General
Convention of Texas; in addition, she volunteered in political
campaigns, most recently supporting President Barack Obama from the
very beginning of his campaign for the Democratic nomination; and
WHEREAS, The city of Houston named both a downtown park and an
elementary school in Mrs. Tinsley's honor; she was elected to the
Texas Women's Hall of Fame and was named a distinguished alumna by
Baylor University; the Houston Post listed her as one of
"Twenty-five People Who Changed Houston," and among countless other
accolades, she received the Institute of Rehabilitation and
Research President's Award for her efforts in behalf of people with
disabilities; in January 2009, Planned Parenthood inducted her into
the prestigious Margaret Sanger Circle; and
WHEREAS, Eleanor Tinsley helped make the Houston political
system more open and representative of its diverse population, and
was a tireless champion for civil and human rights and civic
improvement; through her vision and tenacity, she has left Houston
a safer and a more livable and tolerant city; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Eleanor Whilden
Tinsley and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to
her daughters, Kathleen Ownby and her husband, David, and Marilyn
Daniel and her husband, B. D.; to her son, Tom Tinsley, and his
wife, Cathy; to her grandchildren, Dan Ownby and his wife, Allison,
Emily Elliott and her husband, Brooks, Bethany Mateosian and her
husband, Sam, James and Claire Tinsley, and Angela and Bill Daniel;
to her great-granddaughter, Lucy Elliott; to her brother, Walter
Whilden, and his wife, Jennie; to her sister-in-law, Dorothy
Whilden; and to her other relatives and friends; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Eleanor
Tinsley.
Cohen
Hochberg
Straus Gattis Menendez Straus Gattis Menendez
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt Allen Geren Merritt
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody Anderson Guillen Moody
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr Bonnen Harless Orr
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr. Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton Button Herrero Paxton
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pea Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Castro Hochberg Phillips Castro Hochberg Phillips
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson Chisum Homer Pierson
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts Christian Hopson Pitts
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle Cook Hughes Riddle
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter Crabb Isett Ritter
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose Creighton Jones Rose
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton Darby Kent Shelton
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut Edwards Legler Thibaut
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt Eissler Lewis Truitt
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris England Madden Turner of Harris
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo Fletcher Martinez Vo
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber Flynn McCall Weber
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley Frost McClendon Woolley
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1034 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 2, 2009.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gattis Menendez
Allen Geren Merritt
Alonzo Giddings Miklos
Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
Anderson Guillen Moody
Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
Berman Hamilton Naishtat
Bohac Hancock Oliveira
Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
Bonnen Harless Orr
Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
Burnam Hernandez Patrick
Button Herrero Paxton
Callegari Hilderbran Pea
Castro Hochberg Phillips
Chavez Hodge Pickett
Chisum Homer Pierson
Christian Hopson Pitts
Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
Cook Hughes Riddle
Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
Crabb Isett Ritter
Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
Creighton Jones Rose
Crownover Keffer Sheffield
Darby Kent Shelton
Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
Edwards Legler Thibaut
Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
Eissler Lewis Truitt
Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
England Madden Turner of Harris
Farabee Maldonado Vaught
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Marquez Villarreal
Fletcher Martinez Vo
Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
Flynn McCall Weber
Frost McClendon Woolley
Gallego McReynolds Zerwas