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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The family and friends of Ara La'Shon Duke suffered |
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| 8 | 9 | | an immeasurable loss with her death on June 15, 2024, at the age of |
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| 9 | 10 | | 54; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The daughter of Marsha Garnett-Halmon and Carl |
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| 11 | 12 | | Walker, Ara Duke was born on October 26, 1969, in Dallas; she shared |
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| 12 | 13 | | in the companionship of three siblings, Ismail Rashid-Walker, Carla |
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| 13 | 14 | | Walker, and Brandon Halmon, and her family also included her |
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| 14 | 15 | | stepparents, Blanche Walker and Melvin Halmon; she attended Justin |
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| 15 | 16 | | F. Kimball High School, where she was a drill team lieutenant, and |
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| 16 | 17 | | after graduating in 1988, she continued her education at Texas A&M |
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| 17 | 18 | | University and earned a bachelor's degree in organizational |
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| 18 | 19 | | management from Ashford University; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, In the course of a successful career, Mrs. Duke |
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| 20 | 21 | | worked for the SouthWest Water Company and Lonestar Social |
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| 21 | 22 | | Services; she subsequently pursued her passion for education, |
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| 22 | 23 | | serving as the director of the First Steps Discovery Learning |
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| 23 | 24 | | Center and as a teacher and leader at IDEA Rundberg; she took an |
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| 24 | 25 | | active role in her community through her involvement with NPH USA, |
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| 25 | 26 | | Black Women in Business, and Mission Accomplished, among other |
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| 26 | 27 | | organizations; a woman of faith, she was a member of the |
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| 27 | 28 | | congregation at Restoration Christian Ministry International |
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| 28 | 29 | | Church and served in the women's, children's, and intercessory |
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| 29 | 30 | | prayer ministries; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, She married the love of her life, Christopher Duke, |
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| 31 | 32 | | in 2002, and the couple became the proud parents of a daughter, |
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| 32 | 33 | | Alena, the following year; in her leisure hours, Mrs. Duke enjoyed |
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| 33 | 34 | | traveling, reading, trying out new restaurants, and watching Black |
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| 34 | 35 | | cinema and her favorite television franchise, Star Trek; she was |
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| 35 | 36 | | also a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Admired for her warmth, her generosity of spirit, |
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| 37 | 38 | | and her sparkling personality, Ara Duke brightened the world for |
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| 38 | 39 | | all who knew her, and they will forever hold her close in their |
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| 39 | 40 | | hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 41 | 42 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Ara La'Shon Duke and |
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| 42 | 43 | | extend heartfelt sympathy to all who mourn her passing; and, be it |
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| 43 | 44 | | further |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 45 | 46 | | prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 46 | 47 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ara Duke. |
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