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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Baylor University community was deeply saddened |
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| 6 | 7 | | by the passing of Mary Wilson Russell McCall on November 13, 2014, |
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| 7 | 8 | | at the age of 95; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in Chillicothe on October 7, 1919, the former |
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| 9 | 10 | | Mary Wilson was the daughter of Dora and Quincy Wilson; she |
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| 10 | 11 | | graduated from Vernon High School and enrolled in Baylor University |
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| 11 | 12 | | at the age of 16; following her marriage to Lloyd Russell, she |
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| 12 | 13 | | completed her bachelor's degree at North Texas State University, |
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| 13 | 14 | | and she taught at that institution during World War II while her |
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| 14 | 15 | | husband served in the U.S. Navy; Dr. Russell subsequently became a |
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| 15 | 16 | | department chair at Baylor and the couple returned to Waco; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, She was employed as a teacher and counselor in Waco |
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| 17 | 18 | | public schools and earned her master's degree from Baylor; after |
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| 18 | 19 | | the untimely death of Dr. Russell in 1968, she was fortunate enough |
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| 19 | 20 | | to find love a second time with Dr. Abner McCall, the president and |
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| 20 | 21 | | chancellor of Baylor; they married on Christmas Day in 1970, and she |
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| 21 | 22 | | fully embraced the role of first lady of the institution; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Committed to expanding access to higher education, |
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| 23 | 24 | | Mrs. McCall served as president of the Baylor Round Table and led |
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| 24 | 25 | | the creation of its scholarship fund; she was instrumental in the |
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| 25 | 26 | | establishment of the Lloyd O. Russell Memorial Scholarship Fund and |
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| 26 | 27 | | the Abner V. and Mary McCall Scholarship Fund; in addition, she was |
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| 27 | 28 | | a charter member of the President's Club and the Endowed |
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| 28 | 29 | | Scholarship Society, and she was co-president of the Heritage Club; |
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| 29 | 30 | | also benefiting her sorority, she served as an advisor to the Kappa |
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| 30 | 31 | | Kappa Gamma chapter; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. McCall designed and supervised the building of |
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| 32 | 33 | | the president's home, and she was chair of the wives' organization |
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| 33 | 34 | | of the Southern Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities; |
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| 34 | 35 | | she enjoyed getting to know the other presidents and their spouses, |
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| 35 | 36 | | but she took the greatest pleasure in making Baylor a warm and |
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| 36 | 37 | | welcoming place; over the years, she helped students cook dinners |
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| 37 | 38 | | to impress their girlfriends, located elusive homecoming game |
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| 38 | 39 | | tickets for their dates, and graciously opened her home to hundreds |
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| 39 | 40 | | of people; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, The university recognized Mrs. McCall with one of |
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| 41 | 42 | | its highest honors, the Founders Award, and she received the W. R. |
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| 42 | 43 | | White Meritorious Service Award from the Baylor University Alumni |
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| 43 | 44 | | Association; she was named a Yellow Rose of Texas by then-governor |
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| 44 | 45 | | George W. Bush, and her two daughters, Linda Letbetter and Nancy |
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| 45 | 46 | | Chapman, donated the Mary McCall Chapel of the Baylor Panhellenic |
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| 46 | 47 | | Building in her honor; and |
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| 47 | 48 | | WHEREAS, Benefiting the wider community as well, Mrs. McCall |
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| 48 | 49 | | was a member of the Historic Waco Foundation, the Brazos Forum, the |
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| 49 | 50 | | Thursday Study Club, and the Waco Literary Club; moreover, she was a |
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| 50 | 51 | | trustee of the First Baptist Church of Waco, and she taught Sunday |
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| 51 | 52 | | school, took part in missions, and delivered Meals on Wheels; and |
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| 52 | 53 | | WHEREAS, In 1995, Dr. McCall died, and eight years later, |
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| 53 | 54 | | Mrs. McCall moved to the Edgemere Retirement Community in Dallas; |
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| 54 | 55 | | she served on its board, and she joined Park Cities Baptist Church |
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| 55 | 56 | | and served as president of both her Sunday school class and the |
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| 56 | 57 | | Variety Book Club; she was also a sustaining member of the Baylor |
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| 57 | 58 | | University Women's Council of Dallas, which recognized her with its |
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| 58 | 59 | | Woman of Distinction Award, and she belonged to the Ermance Book |
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| 59 | 60 | | Club of Dallas; and |
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| 60 | 61 | | WHEREAS, Mary McCall made a lasting, positive impact on |
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| 61 | 62 | | Baylor University through her vision, leadership, and dedication, |
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| 62 | 63 | | and although she is profoundly missed by her loved ones, she left a |
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| 63 | 64 | | legacy that they can remember with pride; now, therefore, be it |
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| 64 | 65 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 65 | 66 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Mary Wilson Russell |
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| 66 | 67 | | McCall and extend sincere condolences to her family and friends; |
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| 67 | 68 | | and, be it further |
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| 68 | 69 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 69 | 70 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 70 | 71 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Mary |
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| 71 | 72 | | McCall. |
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