H.R. No. 1297
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Denton County lost a trailblazing civic leader with
the passing of former county judge Mary O. Horn on April 21, 2023,
at the age of 77; and
WHEREAS, The daughter of Lieutenant Commander
Dr. O. W. Roberts and Mary Ann Roberts, the former Mary Roberts was
born in Owatonna, Minnesota, on June 28, 1945; after studying at
Mankato State College and earning certification from the Minnesota
School of Business, she began working for Braniff International
Airways in Dallas as a flight attendant; she rose to become the only
woman among the top executives at the airline before starting her
own business in 1982; and
WHEREAS, On May 6, 1967, she married James Nathan "Jim" Horn,
and they settled in Denton, where they raised two children,
Jennifer and Jim; the couple founded the Denton County Republican
Party at their kitchen table in 1972, and Judge Horn campaigned
energetically for her husband in his successful campaign for a seat
in the Texas House of Representatives; in 1993, she became the first
woman to win election as Denton County tax assessor-collector, and
nine years later, she became the county's first female judge;
during an era of phenomenal growth, she worked tirelessly to
maintain a low tax rate while improving efficiency and providing a
high level of service to residents; she increased budget reserves,
paving the way for a AAA bond rating, modernized the county's taxing
systems, and made motor vehicle registration more convenient by
creating an online system; in 2004 and 2008, voters approved two
bond packages, and she leveraged $335 million in local funds to
bring over $3 billion for road improvements and construction,
expansion, or renovation of county buildings; she retired in 2018,
following four consecutive terms, as the longest-serving county
judge in Denton County history; and
WHEREAS, Judge Horn shared her expertise in leadership roles
with a host of local and state organizations, and she was vice chair
of the Texas Workforce Development Board; she served many terms as
president of the Denton Republican Women's Club, and she was the
Texas Federation of Republican Women's 1988 honoree; and
WHEREAS, Above all, Judge Horn was devoted to her family,
which grew to include eight grandchildren, Michael, Elle, Knox,
Francie, Houston, Olive, Morgan, and Ashton; her greatest joy was
spending time with them, whether attending their athletic events or
reading stories, singing songs, and making up silly games; and
WHEREAS, Mary Horn broke down barriers and skillfully guided
Denton County during a transformative period, and although she will
be deeply missed, her exceptional contributions will continue to
resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Mary
O. Horn and extend sincere sympathy 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 Mary Horn.
Stucky
Phelan Guerra Murr Phelan Guerra Murr
Phelan Guerra Murr
Allen Guillen Neave Criado Allen Guillen Neave Criado
Allen Guillen Neave Criado
Allison Harless Noble Allison Harless Noble
Allison Harless Noble
Anchía Harris of Anderson Oliverson Anchía Harris of Anderson Oliverson
Anchía Harris of Anderson Oliverson
Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz
Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz
Ashby Harrison Orr Ashby Harrison Orr
Ashby Harrison Orr
Bailes Hayes Ortega Bailes Hayes Ortega
Bailes Hayes Ortega
Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson
Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson
Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul
Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul
Bernal Herrero Perez Bernal Herrero Perez
Bernal Herrero Perez
Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa
Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa
Bonnen Holland Price Bonnen Holland Price
Bonnen Holland Price
Bowers Howard Ramos Bowers Howard Ramos
Bowers Howard Ramos
Bryant Hull Raney Bryant Hull Raney
Bryant Hull Raney
Buckley Hunter Raymond Buckley Hunter Raymond
Buckley Hunter Raymond
Bucy Isaac Reynolds Bucy Isaac Reynolds
Bucy Isaac Reynolds
Bumgarner Jetton Rogers Bumgarner Jetton Rogers
Bumgarner Jetton Rogers
Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr.
Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr.
Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose
Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose
Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal
Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal
Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer
Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer
Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline
Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline
Canales Kacal Schofield Canales Kacal Schofield
Canales Kacal Schofield
Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen
Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen
Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr. Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr.
Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr.
Cole Kitzman Shine Cole Kitzman Shine
Cole Kitzman Shine
Collier Klick Slaton Collier Klick Slaton
Collier Klick Slaton
Cook Kuempel Slawson Cook Kuempel Slawson
Cook Kuempel Slawson
Cortez Lalani Smith Cortez Lalani Smith
Cortez Lalani Smith
Craddick Lambert Smithee Craddick Lambert Smithee
Craddick Lambert Smithee
Cunningham Landgraf Spiller Cunningham Landgraf Spiller
Cunningham Landgraf Spiller
Darby Leach Stucky Darby Leach Stucky
Darby Leach Stucky
Davis Leo-Wilson Swanson Davis Leo-Wilson Swanson
Davis Leo-Wilson Swanson
Dean Longoria Talarico Dean Longoria Talarico
Dean Longoria Talarico
DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Tepper DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Tepper
DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Tepper
Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thierry Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thierry
Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thierry
Dutton Lozano Thimesch Dutton Lozano Thimesch
Dutton Lozano Thimesch
Flores Lujan Thompson of Brazoria Flores Lujan Thompson of Brazoria
Flores Lujan Thompson of Brazoria
Frank Manuel Thompson of Harris Frank Manuel Thompson of Harris
Frank Manuel Thompson of Harris
Frazier Martinez Tinderholt Frazier Martinez Tinderholt
Frazier Martinez Tinderholt
Gamez Martinez Fischer Toth Gamez Martinez Fischer Toth
Gamez Martinez Fischer Toth
Garcia Metcalf Troxclair Garcia Metcalf Troxclair
Garcia Metcalf Troxclair
Gates Meyer Turner Gates Meyer Turner
Gates Meyer Turner
Gerdes Meza VanDeaver Gerdes Meza VanDeaver
Gerdes Meza VanDeaver
Geren Moody Vasut Geren Moody Vasut
Geren Moody Vasut
Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Vo Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Vo
Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Vo
Goldman Morales of Maverick Walle Goldman Morales of Maverick Walle
Goldman Morales of Maverick Walle
González of Dallas Morales Shaw Wilson González of Dallas Morales Shaw Wilson
González of Dallas Morales Shaw Wilson
González of El Paso Morrison Wu González of El Paso Morrison Wu
González of El Paso Morrison Wu
Goodwin Muñoz, Jr. Zwiener Goodwin Muñoz, Jr. Zwiener
Goodwin Muñoz, Jr. Zwiener
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1297 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on April 28, 2023.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Phelan Guerra Murr
Allen Guillen Neave Criado
Allison Harless Noble
Anchía Harris of Anderson Oliverson
Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz
Ashby Harrison Orr
Bailes Hayes Ortega
Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson
Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul
Bernal Herrero Perez
Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa
Bonnen Holland Price
Bowers Howard Ramos
Bryant Hull Raney
Buckley Hunter Raymond
Bucy Isaac Reynolds
Bumgarner Jetton Rogers
Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr.
Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose
Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal
Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer
Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline
Canales Kacal Schofield
Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen
Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr.
Cole Kitzman Shine
Collier Klick Slaton
Cook Kuempel Slawson
Cortez Lalani Smith
Craddick Lambert Smithee
Cunningham Landgraf Spiller
Darby Leach Stucky
Davis Leo-Wilson Swanson
Dean Longoria Talarico
DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Tepper
Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thierry
Dutton Lozano Thimesch
Flores Lujan Thompson of Brazoria
Frank Manuel Thompson of Harris
Frazier Martinez Tinderholt
Gamez Martinez Fischer Toth
Garcia Metcalf Troxclair
Gates Meyer Turner
Gerdes Meza VanDeaver
Geren Moody Vasut
Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Vo
Goldman Morales of Maverick Walle
González of Dallas Morales Shaw Wilson
González of El Paso Morrison Wu
Goodwin Muñoz, Jr. Zwiener