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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 93rd birthday of an esteemed Texan is truly |
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| 6 | 7 | | cause for celebration, and Mary Ellen "Dude" Barton reached that |
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| 7 | 8 | | impressive milestone on January 14, 2017; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in 1924, Mary Ellen Barton is the youngest |
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| 9 | 10 | | child of Wilburn Burr and Ella Orr Barton, and she grew up with |
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| 10 | 11 | | eight brothers and sisters on the family farm along the North Pease |
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| 11 | 12 | | River, in the Caprock foothills of West Texas; as a young girl, she |
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| 12 | 13 | | referred to the family dog as "Doot," and from that |
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| 13 | 14 | | mispronunciation her siblings derived young Mary Ellen's lifelong |
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| 14 | 15 | | nickname, "Dude"; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, A natural on horseback, Ms. Barton used to beg her |
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| 16 | 17 | | father to take her with him into the fields or on cattle drives, and |
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| 17 | 18 | | he obliged, tying her to the saddle so she wouldn't fall off; soon |
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| 18 | 19 | | she was riding on her own, working on the ranch and accompanying her |
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| 19 | 20 | | siblings to the rodeo; and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Barton participated in rodeos at the Will Rogers |
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| 21 | 22 | | Coliseum as a teenager, and her experience and natural athleticism |
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| 22 | 23 | | gave her an edge over the other contestants; she was a fierce |
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| 23 | 24 | | competitor in barrel racing and in an event roughly equivalent to |
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| 24 | 25 | | musical chairs on horseback, which she won at least nine times; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Later in life, Ms. Barton helped organize the All |
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| 26 | 27 | | Girls Rodeo Association; in 1984, she was inducted into the Cowgirl |
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| 27 | 28 | | Hall of Fame in Hereford, and a large photo of her is featured at the |
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| 28 | 29 | | Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of more than nine decades, Dude |
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| 30 | 31 | | Barton has met life's challenges with grace and good humor, and she |
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| 31 | 32 | | has earned the admiration and deep affection of all who are |
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| 32 | 33 | | privileged to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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| 33 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 34 | 35 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Mary Ellen "Dude" Barton on her |
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| 35 | 36 | | 93rd birthday and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 36 | 37 | | happiness; and, be it further |
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| 37 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 38 | 39 | | prepared for Ms. Barton as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 39 | 40 | | House of Representatives. |
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