H.R. No. 2585
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Dr. Virginia Boyd Connally received the first Legacy
Award from the Abilene Woman's Club on April 23, 2009, in honor of
her many achievements; and
WHEREAS, A 1933 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University in
Abilene, the former Virginia Boyd went on to earn a medical degree
from Louisiana State University; she completed an internship at
Charity Hospital in New Orleans and subsequently returned to
Abilene, where she opened a practice in 1940; not only was she the
city's first female physician, but she also later became the first
female chief of staff at St. Ann's Hospital and at Hendrick Medical
Center, and she served as the first female president of the
Taylor-Jones Medical Society; and
WHEREAS, She was known both for her exceptional skill as a
doctor and for her commitment to the community; she has long
supported her alma mater, HSU, and she has been an active member of
First Baptist Church since her undergraduate days; moreover, she
has been a member of the Woman's Club for more than half a century;
and
WHEREAS, In 1953, she married Ed Connally, a local oilman who
also served as chair of the state Democratic Party, and the couple
became friends with such political luminaries as then senator
Lyndon Baines Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson; the Legacy Award
ceremony included tributes to her by Lynda Johnson Robb, Luci
Baines Johnson, Liz Carpenter, and New Mexico governor Bill
Richardson; and
WHEREAS, Though it is impossible to gauge the full effect of
an individual's life, some people leave their unmistakable mark on
the world as they move through it, and Virginia Boyd Connally is
indeed one such person; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby honor Dr. Virginia Boyd Connally on her receipt
of the first Legacy Award from the Abilene Woman's Club and extend
to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Dr. Connally as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
King of Taylor
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2585 was adopted by the House on May
31, 2009, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House