| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1193 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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| 6 | 6 | | a close with the passing of admired community leader Ruth Laverne |
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| 7 | 7 | | Wells Wyrick of Dallas on April 14, 2023, at the age of 88; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Born in Waco on September 29, 1934, the former Ruth |
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| 9 | 9 | | Wells graduated from Southwestern Christian College; after moving |
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| 10 | 10 | | to Dallas, she met and married a fellow alumnus, Ernest "Deacon" |
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| 11 | 11 | | Wyrick, and they were blessed with two children, Narleski and |
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| 12 | 12 | | Natesha "Shay"; Mrs. Wyrick joined other parents in establishing |
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| 13 | 13 | | Christian Academy of Oak Cliff, where she was a member of the Parent |
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| 14 | 14 | | Teacher Organization and the Ladies Auxiliary for Christian |
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| 15 | 15 | | Education; an educator herself, she was employed by the Dallas |
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| 16 | 16 | | Independent School District until her retirement in 2009; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Wyrick were very involved in Marsalis |
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| 18 | 18 | | Avenue Church of Christ and in their denomination's National Youth |
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| 19 | 19 | | Conference, and Mrs. Wyrick was instrumental in the establishment |
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| 20 | 20 | | of the conference's iconic pageant; moreover, she was a formidable |
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| 21 | 21 | | fundraiser for her alma mater, the only HBCU affiliated with the |
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| 22 | 22 | | Churches of Christ, and she served as a trustee and member of its |
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| 23 | 23 | | executive committee; named Alumnus of the Year three times, she was |
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| 24 | 24 | | awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters for her service; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Highly engaged in civic life as well, Mrs. Wyrick |
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| 26 | 26 | | was a Democratic precinct chair for a half century and served as a |
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| 27 | 27 | | Dallas County election judge in South Oak Cliff for every |
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| 28 | 28 | | municipal, state, and partisan election through 2021; she worked on |
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| 29 | 29 | | campaigns for many African American candidates who broke barriers |
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| 30 | 30 | | in Dallas County, and her support and endorsement were highly |
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| 31 | 31 | | sought; dedicated to getting out the vote, she was so effective that |
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| 32 | 32 | | her children's friends would call to assure her that they had, |
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| 33 | 33 | | indeed, cast their ballots; she served on the Dallas County |
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| 34 | 34 | | Citizens Elections Advisory Committee, the Dallas County Grand |
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| 35 | 35 | | Jury, and the City of Dallas Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center |
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| 36 | 36 | | Board, which she chaired; in addition, she was a member of numerous |
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| 37 | 37 | | other boards, commissions, and organizations, including the Dallas |
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| 38 | 38 | | Branch of the NAACP and the Progressive Voters League; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | WHEREAS, Mrs. Wyrick and her husband shared a fulfilling |
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| 40 | 40 | | relationship of 59 years until his passing in 2020; she took great |
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| 41 | 41 | | pride in their two children as well as in their grandsons, Ryan, |
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| 42 | 42 | | Richard, Noah, Caleb, and Luke, and great-grandson, Sebastian Dean; |
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| 43 | 43 | | and |
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| 44 | 44 | | WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to her family, her faith, and her |
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| 45 | 45 | | community, Ruth Wyrick leaves behind a legacy of good works that |
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| 46 | 46 | | will long be remembered; now, therefore, be it |
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| 47 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 48 | 48 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Ruth Laverne Wells |
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| 49 | 49 | | Wyrick and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn her passing; |
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| 50 | 50 | | and, be it further |
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| 51 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 52 | 52 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 53 | 53 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ruth |
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| 54 | 54 | | Wyrick. |
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| 55 | 55 | | Davis |
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| 56 | 56 | | Jones of Dallas |
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| 57 | 57 | | ______________________________ |
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| 58 | 58 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 59 | 59 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1193 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 60 | 60 | | rising vote of the House on April 21, 2023. |
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| 61 | 61 | | ______________________________ |
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| 62 | 62 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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