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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 100th birthday of an esteemed Texan is truly |
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| 6 | 7 | | cause for celebration, and Maxine Edmondson Flournoy of Corpus |
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| 7 | 8 | | Christi marked this momentous milestone in her life on March 30, |
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| 8 | 9 | | 2021; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Born in Wheaton, Missouri, in 1921, the former |
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| 10 | 11 | | Maxine Edmondson attended Joplin Junior College, which ran a |
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| 11 | 12 | | federal Civilian Pilot Training Act program that allotted 10 |
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| 12 | 13 | | percent of its slots to women; after receiving her pilot's license, |
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| 13 | 14 | | she worked at a defense plant in the early days of World War II; she |
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| 14 | 15 | | was contacted by a recruiter for the Women Airforce Service Pilots |
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| 15 | 16 | | in 1943 and decided to volunteer; assigned to Hondo Army Air Field, |
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| 16 | 17 | | she trained cadets in Beechcraft C-45s, developing their navigation |
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| 17 | 18 | | skills before they went off to combat; she also flew test missions |
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| 18 | 19 | | and delivered aircraft across the country; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, When the WASP program ended after the war, she |
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| 20 | 21 | | became a company pilot in Alice, where she met her future husband, |
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| 21 | 22 | | petroleum engineer Lucien Flournoy; the couple became the parents |
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| 22 | 23 | | of three daughters, Betty, Mary Anne, and Helen, and established an |
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| 23 | 24 | | oil drilling company; when her children were older, she |
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| 24 | 25 | | rediscovered her passion for aviation and flew a family-owned |
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| 25 | 26 | | Cessna 337 to WASP reunions across the country; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Flournoy served for two years as president of |
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| 27 | 28 | | the WASP association, the Order of Fifinella, and in 2010, she |
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| 28 | 29 | | traveled to Washington, D.C., with other members to accept the |
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| 29 | 30 | | country's highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, in |
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| 30 | 31 | | recognition of their groundbreaking service; moreover, she served |
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| 31 | 32 | | on the Texas Historical Commission, and as a presidential appointee |
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| 32 | 33 | | to the board of World USO, she attended meetings in many countries; |
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| 33 | 34 | | the USO room at the Naval base in Ingleside is named in her honor, as |
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| 34 | 35 | | is the Third Coast Squadron Commemorative Air Force in Aransas |
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| 35 | 36 | | Pass; she and her husband donated to the squadron a hangar that also |
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| 36 | 37 | | serves as a military museum; they shared a rewarding relationship |
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| 37 | 38 | | of 56 years before Mr. Flournoy's death in 2003; today, |
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| 38 | 39 | | Mrs. Flournoy is the cherished matriarch of a fine family that has |
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| 39 | 40 | | grown to include 11 grandchildren; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, An inspiring member of the Greatest Generation, |
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| 41 | 42 | | Maxine Flournoy has met life's challenges and opportunities with |
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| 42 | 43 | | bold determination, and she has earned the deep admiration of all |
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| 43 | 44 | | who are privileged to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 45 | 46 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Maxine Edmondson Flournoy on her |
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| 46 | 47 | | 100th birthday and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued |
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| 47 | 48 | | happiness; and, be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for Mrs. Flournoy as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 50 | 51 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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