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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Dorothy L. Stoker-Starks is retiring from the |
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| 6 | 7 | | Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dallas in 2017, drawing to a |
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| 7 | 8 | | close a remarkable tenure with the center that spanned nearly half a |
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| 8 | 9 | | century; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A native of Harleton, Mrs. Starks began her career |
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| 10 | 11 | | in nursing as a trainee at the VA Medical Center in 1969; she went on |
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| 11 | 12 | | to spend 45 years in the operating room as a certified surgical |
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| 12 | 13 | | technologist in neurology and plastic surgery and to serve as a |
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| 13 | 14 | | preceptor and advocate for those new to the field; she also |
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| 14 | 15 | | volunteered as an ambassador for veterans and their families; her |
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| 15 | 16 | | contributions to the VA North Texas Health Care System were |
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| 16 | 17 | | recognized with the Nursing of Excellence Award in 2012 and the |
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| 17 | 18 | | Daisy Ambassador Award in 2014; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, In addition to going above and beyond in her |
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| 19 | 20 | | professional duties, Mrs. Starks has served on the board of |
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| 20 | 21 | | directors of the Texas State Assembly of the Association of |
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| 21 | 22 | | Surgical Technologists, which awarded her a Fellowship of High |
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| 22 | 23 | | Honor in 2008, and as president of the T. Mathis Hawkins Section of |
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| 23 | 24 | | the National Council of Negro Women; moreover, she has given back to |
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| 24 | 25 | | her community by helping sponsor a local health fair, mentoring |
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| 25 | 26 | | young women, supporting the American Cancer Society, and assisting |
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| 26 | 27 | | families at the Ronald McDonald House; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, An active member of the Alta Mesa Park Baptist |
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| 28 | 29 | | Church, Mrs. Starks serves as president of the General Mission and |
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| 29 | 30 | | assists with the congregation's various ministries; she has also |
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| 30 | 31 | | held the offices of president and parliamentarian of the Greater |
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| 31 | 32 | | Dallas Area Sisterhood of the Missionary Baptist General Convention |
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| 32 | 33 | | of Texas; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Retirement offers Mrs. Starks a welcome opportunity |
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| 34 | 35 | | to spend more time with her family, which includes her three |
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| 35 | 36 | | children, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan's commitment to the highest |
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| 37 | 38 | | standards of her profession has greatly benefited her fellow |
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| 38 | 39 | | citizens, and she may indeed reflect with pride on a career well |
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| 39 | 40 | | spent as she embarks on the next exciting chapter of her life; now, |
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| 40 | 41 | | therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 42 | 43 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Dorothy L. Stoker-Starks on her |
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| 43 | 44 | | retirement from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dallas and |
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| 44 | 45 | | extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 46 | 47 | | prepared for Mrs. Starks as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 47 | 48 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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