H.R. No. 1154
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to
a close with the passing of Maxine Edmondson Flournoy on April 5,
2023, at the age of 102; and
WHEREAS, The daughter of Dr. John Edmondson and Mary Ruth
Edmondson Jones, the former Maxine Edmondson was born on March 30,
1921; she grew up in Joplin, Missouri, and attended Joplin Junior
College; after obtaining her pilot's license through the Civilian
Pilot Training Act program, she joined the Women Airforce Service
Pilots in 1943 and trained at Avenger Field in Sweetwater; she was
assigned to the navigation school at Hondo Army Airfield, where she
trained cadets in Beechcraft C-45s; and
WHEREAS, Following World War II, she worked as a company
pilot in Alice, where she met her future husband, Lucien Flournoy;
they raised three daughters, Mary Anne, Betty, and Helen, and
operated Flournoy Drilling Company and Alice Aviation together for
many decades; the couple enjoyed entertaining at Flournoy Park in
Alice and at their home on Lake Corpus Christi in the Carmel Hills
neighborhood; Mr. Flournoy passed away in 2003; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Flournoy gave generously of her time and
talents in behalf of the USO in Ingleside and at the Naval Air
Station Corpus Christi, and she was appointed by President Jimmy
Carter to the World USO Board of Directors; she also served with the
Texas Historical Commission; active in the WASP alumni group, the
Order of Fifinella, she flew a family-owned Cessna 337 to reunions
across the country; she was named president of the association in
2002; two years later, the Commemorative Air Force in Ingleside was
named the Maxine Flournoy 3rd Coast Squadron CAF in her honor; she
was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for her military service;
and
WHEREAS, A woman of strong faith, Mrs. Flournoy was a member
of First Presbyterian Church in Alice and then First Presbyterian
Church in Corpus Christi; she hosted Christian ministry groups
during the annual Institute in Basic Life Principles event in San
Antonio, and over the years, she provided hotels and meals for
hundreds of friends and employees; and
WHEREAS, While the death of Maxine Flournoy brings great
sadness to her family and friends, she leaves behind a legacy that
they will forever treasure; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Maxine Edmondson
Flournoy and extend sincere condolences to the members of her
family: to her daughters, Mary Anne Guthrie and her husband, Greg,
Betty Louise Fields and her husband, Byron, and Helen Ruth Pope and
her husband, Bill; to her brother, Phil Edmondson; to her 11
grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; and to her other
relatives and friends; 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 Maxine
Edmondson Flournoy.
Hunter
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1154 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 28, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House