H.R. No. 41
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a bold champion of social
progress and stalwart enemy of corruption with the passing of
former state representative Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold of
Houston on September 26, 2021, at the age of 94; and
WHEREAS, The former Frances Tarlton was born in Corpus
Christi on October 2, 1926; she was the daughter of Benjamin Dudley
Tarlton Jr., a prominent attorney, and Catherine "Catty" Bluntzer
Tarlton, and she was also influenced by the legacy of her paternal
grandfather, who had served as a state representative and a chief
justice of the Court of Civil Appeals; after attending The Hockaday
School in Dallas, she earned her bachelor's degree in political
science from Vassar College at the age of 19; and
WHEREAS, She enrolled at The University of Texas School of
Law and was one of just eight women to graduate in the Class of 1949,
after which she joined her father's law firm; the following year,
she married George Farenthold, and the couple became the parents of
five children, James, Vincent, George, Benjamin "Dudley", and
Emilie; though she placed her career on hold while raising her
children, she became increasingly active in the civic life of
Corpus Christi in the early 1960s, serving as a member of the city's
Human Relations Commission and as director of Nueces County Legal
Aid and fighting to prevent the obstruction of shoreline views in
the area; and
WHEREAS, In 1968, when Ms. Farenthold launched a successful
bid for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, women
candidates were rare; sworn into office at the start of the 61st
Legislature the following January, she was the only woman serving
in the chamber and one of just two in the entire legislature;
pursuing a range of progressive measures during her two terms in
office, she sought to protect the environment, advance civil
rights, strengthen the social safety net, and improve public
education; joining with her state senate counterpart, Barbara
Jordan, she cosponsored the Texas Equal Rights Amendment and
secured its passage; and
WHEREAS, Perhaps best known for promoting transparency and
ethics reform, Representative Farenthold played a prominent role in
focusing public attention on the corruption exposed by the
Sharpstown scandal, which erupted in 1971; leading a group of
like-minded legislators that became known as the Dirty Thirty, she
demanded an investigation of the house speaker and others, and the
group's efforts helped bring about a sea change in Texas politics;
many of those connected to the scandal saw their political careers
come to an end, and the Dirty Thirty continued to effect reforms at
the State Capitol even after Representative Farenthold left office
at the end of the 62nd Legislature; and
WHEREAS, In 1972, Ms. Farenthold ran for governor, and
although she lost a runoff in the Democratic primary, she played a
central role in shaping the national party's reformist platform
that year; she placed second in the voting for the vice presidential
candidate, besting the likes of Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy, and
became the first woman to garner significant support for that place
on the ticket; the next year, she was elected as the inaugural chair
of the National Women's Political Caucus; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Farenthold went on to serve for four years as
the first female president of Wells College in Aurora, New York,
which was then a women-only institution; while balancing its budget
and expanding student recruitment, she cofounded the Public
Leadership Education Network to encourage young women to pursue
careers in public service; returning to Texas, she resumed the
practice of law and joined the faculties of Texas Southern
University and the University of Houston, where she taught one of
the nation's first classes on gender-based discrimination; and
WHEREAS, Elevating her activism to the international level,
Ms. Farenthold joined the board of the Helsinki Watch Committee,
precursor of Human Rights Watch, led protests against apartheid in
South Africa, and participated in peace, human rights, and
environmental efforts around the globe; she was also chair of the
Institute for Policy Studies in Washington and a member of the
advisory board of the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human
Rights and Justice at The University of Texas School of Law; other
notable achievements included serving as chair of the interfaith
Rothko Chapel in Houston for three decades and as executive
producer of the 2009 documentary Quest for Honor; her myriad
accolades include the inaugural Molly Ivins Lifetime Achievement
Award from the ACLU of Texas, the Lyndon Johnson Lifetime Service
Award from the Democratic Party of Texas, and the 2013 Women of
Courage Award from the National Women's Political Caucus; and
WHEREAS, Sissy Farenthold devoted herself wholeheartedly to
making the world more just, peaceful, and humane, and although she
is deeply missed, her vision and compassion will remain a lasting
source of inspiration in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
the Honorable Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold and extend sincere
condolences to all who mourn her passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sissy
Farenthold.
Herrero
Hunter
A. Johnson of Harris
Meza
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 41 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on October 14, 2021.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House