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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, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Linda |
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| 6 | 7 | | Lelia Susan Moroney of Houston, an esteemed attorney and champion |
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| 7 | 8 | | of social justice, who passed away on April 19, 2021, at the age of |
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| 8 | 9 | | 77; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Born in Washington, D.C., on May 27, 1943, "Muffie" |
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| 10 | 11 | | Moroney was the daughter of Jessie Robinson Moroney and Robert |
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| 11 | 12 | | Moroney; she grew up in Houston, but her character was also shaped |
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| 12 | 13 | | by frequent visits to her mother's family in then-rural Fort Bend |
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| 13 | 14 | | County; a proud graduate of St. John's School in Houston and |
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| 14 | 15 | | Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Virginia, she worked for the |
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| 15 | 16 | | National Security Agency before returning to Texas; she married |
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| 16 | 17 | | Clarence Renshaw II, and they became the parents of two treasured |
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| 17 | 18 | | sons, Robert and Justin; following a divorce, she enrolled in the |
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| 18 | 19 | | University of Houston Law Center and received her degree in 1982; |
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| 19 | 20 | | and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, After completing a clerkship with the 14th Court of |
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| 21 | 22 | | Appeals, Ms. Moroney worked for Vinson & Elkins and several other |
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| 22 | 23 | | Houston law firms; she went on to open a solo litigation practice |
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| 23 | 24 | | and later joined forces with her son, Justin, in the Renshaw firm; |
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| 24 | 25 | | benefiting the legal community, she served on the alumni board of |
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| 25 | 26 | | the University of Houston Law Center; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Moroney's knowledge of the law spurred her to |
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| 27 | 28 | | enter the political sphere in the fight for equity and social |
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| 28 | 29 | | progress; a cofounder of the River Oaks Area Democratic Women, she |
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| 29 | 30 | | served on its executive committee, and together with Sherrie Matula |
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| 30 | 31 | | and Diane Mosier, she launched an offshoot, the Sisters United |
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| 31 | 32 | | Alliance, to encourage more Texas women to vote; her wide circle of |
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| 32 | 33 | | friends included state and local civic leaders, many of whom she |
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| 33 | 34 | | also mentored; while energetically organizing and fundraising for |
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| 34 | 35 | | worthy causes, she further served on the board of Planned |
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| 35 | 36 | | Parenthood Gulf Coast and the alumni boards of St. John's School |
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| 36 | 37 | | and Randolph-Macon Woman's College; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Sustained by a strong faith, Ms. Moroney was an |
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| 38 | 39 | | active member of Christ Church Cathedral and served on the board of |
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| 39 | 40 | | the Episcopal Church Publishing Company; as a lay leader in the |
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| 40 | 41 | | Episcopal Diocese of Texas, she advocated for the power of the laity |
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| 41 | 42 | | and strove to advance inclusivity in the denomination and society |
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| 42 | 43 | | as a whole; her advocacy was always as gracious and respectful as it |
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| 43 | 44 | | was resolute, and in later years, she engaged increasingly in |
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| 44 | 45 | | interfaith dialogue, participating in women's groups and gaining |
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| 45 | 46 | | new friends from diverse backgrounds; and |
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| 46 | 47 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Moroney was devoted to her family, which grew to |
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| 47 | 48 | | include two daughters-in-law, Alisha and Lynne, as well as four |
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| 48 | 49 | | grandchildren, Carrie, Beverly, Emerson, and Catherine; she looked |
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| 49 | 50 | | after not only her dog, Sweet, but also a coterie of feral cats; and |
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| 50 | 51 | | WHEREAS, Guided by deep compassion and an unyielding sense of |
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| 51 | 52 | | justice, Muffie Moroney made a positive difference in the world |
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| 52 | 53 | | around her, and she is deeply missed by all who were privileged to |
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| 53 | 54 | | share in her love and friendship; now, therefore, be it |
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| 54 | 55 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 55 | 56 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Linda Lelia Susan |
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| 56 | 57 | | Moroney and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn her |
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| 57 | 58 | | passing; and, be it further |
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| 58 | 59 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 59 | 60 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 60 | 61 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Muffie |
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| 61 | 62 | | Moroney. |
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