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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close with the |
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passing of Tonna Nan Taylor Duke on August 26, 2021, at the age of |
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77; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Roy and Audrey Taylor, the former |
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Tonna Taylor was born in Hope, Arkansas, on August 31, 1943, and |
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grew up with a sister, Carol; she exchanged wedding vows with George |
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Winston Duke, and they shared a rewarding marriage that spanned 57 |
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years until his passing in 2019; Mrs. Duke was the devoted mother of |
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a daughter, Dee Ann, and she experienced the joy of welcoming a |
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grandson, Cole, into her treasured family; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Duke served as the girls' track and field coach |
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and a health teacher at Richardson High School; during her tenure, |
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she led her teams to many championships while instilling in her |
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players valuable leadership skills; in 2000, she retired from the |
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Richardson Independent School District as the assistant director of |
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athletics; along the way, she also coached for International Sports |
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Tours, taking elite-level, amateur athletes on competitive track |
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and field trips throughout Europe; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely respected by her peers, Mrs. Duke held a |
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number of important roles with the Texas Retired Teachers |
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Association, including legislative chair and legislative |
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coordinator; through her tireless work with TRTA, she served as a |
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dedicated mentor and voice for her fellow educators; among her |
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other affiliations, she was president of the Iota Nu chapter of |
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Delta Kappa Gamma and first vice president of the Richardson |
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Woman's Club, which she further benefited as a member of the |
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charitable foundation board; a woman of faith, she taught a Sunday |
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school class, sang in two choirs, and was part of the prison |
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ministry at First Baptist Richardson; and |
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WHEREAS, Generous and kindhearted, Tonna Duke made a |
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meaningful difference in the lives of others, and she leaves behind |
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a legacy that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved |
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her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
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of Tonna Nan Taylor Duke and extend sincere condolences to her |
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relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Tonna Duke. |