88R28138 KSM-D
By: Springer S.R. No. 516
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 Senate 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 Senate adjourns this
day, it do so in memory of Mary Horn.