89R22091 BK-D
By: Howard H.R. No. 785
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The life of a trailblazing public servant drew to a
close with the passing of former Austin mayor and Texas comptroller
Carole Keeton on March 26, 2025, at the age of 85; and
WHEREAS, A native Austinite, Carole Keeton was born in 1939
to Page Keeton, a dean of The University of Texas School of Law, and
Madge Keeton; she studied government at UT Austin, and after
graduating in 1961, she wed attorney Barr McClellan and became the
mother of four sons, Brad, Scott, Mark, and Dudley; she made her
first foray into politics as a member of the Austin Independent
School District Board of Trustees in 1972; during her tenure, she
championed efforts to improve outcomes for minority students, and
she was unanimously elected to preside over the board in 1976; and
WHEREAS, The following year, Ms. Keeton became the first
female mayor in Austin's history and ultimately set a new precedent
for the office by serving three successive terms; she led the city
until 1983, when Governor Mark White appointed her to the State
Board of Insurance, and she was the first woman to fill that role as
well; and
WHEREAS, Turning her attention to statewide elective office,
Ms. Keeton won a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission in 1986, and
she made history once again when she became the first woman to be
elected state comptroller, an office she held for two terms, from
1999 to 2007; in these and other races, she appealed to voters with
her down-to-earth charm, and she later adopted the slogan "one
tough grandma" during her 2006 gubernatorial campaign; her
energetic personality made her a force to be reckoned with, and she
was renowned for her memorable aphorisms and a well-honed sense of
humor that could make a room erupt in laughter; and
WHEREAS, Even after her career as an elected official
concluded, Ms. Keeton remained politically active; in 2012, her
organization Austinites For Action helped secure passage of a
proposition to improve access to health care in Travis County; she
took pride in seeing her sons Scott and Mark follow in her footsteps
in public service by holding prominent positions in the
administration of President George W. Bush, and in her later years,
she enjoyed watching her cherished family grow to include nine
grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Guided by a steadfast concern for the needs of
people from all walks of life, Carole Keeton devoted herself
tirelessly to the betterment of her community and state, and she
leaves behind a legacy that will long be treasured by those who held
her dear; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Carole Keeton and
extend deepest 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 Carole
Keeton.