| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close with the |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | passing of Tonna Nan Taylor Duke on August 26, 2021, at the age of |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | 77; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The daughter of Roy and Audrey Taylor, the former |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | Tonna Taylor was born in Hope, Arkansas, on August 31, 1943, and |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | grew up with a sister, Carol; she exchanged wedding vows with George |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | Winston Duke, and they shared a rewarding marriage that spanned 57 |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | years until his passing in 2019; Mrs. Duke was the devoted mother of |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | a daughter, Dee Ann, and she experienced the joy of welcoming a |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | grandson, Cole, into her treasured family; and |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Duke served as the girls' track and field coach |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | and a health teacher at Richardson High School; during her tenure, |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | she led her teams to many championships while instilling in her |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | players valuable leadership skills; in 2000, she retired from the |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | Richardson Independent School District as the assistant director of |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | athletics; along the way, she also coached for International Sports |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | Tours, taking elite-level, amateur athletes on competitive track |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | and field trips throughout Europe; and |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Widely respected by her peers, Mrs. Duke held a |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | number of important roles with the Texas Retired Teachers |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | Association, including legislative chair and legislative |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | coordinator; through her tireless work with TRTA, she served as a |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | dedicated mentor and voice for her fellow educators; among her |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | other affiliations, she was president of the Iota Nu chapter of |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | Delta Kappa Gamma and first vice president of the Richardson |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | Woman's Club, which she further benefited as a member of the |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | charitable foundation board; a woman of faith, she taught a Sunday |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | school class, sang in two choirs, and was part of the prison |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | ministry at First Baptist Richardson; and |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Generous and kindhearted, Tonna Duke made a |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | meaningful difference in the lives of others, and she leaves behind |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | a legacy that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | her; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | of Tonna Nan Taylor Duke and extend sincere condolences to her |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | relatives and friends; and, be it further |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Tonna Duke. |
|---|