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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Corpus Christi lost an admired civic |
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leader with the passing of Lena D. Wilson on September 8, 2021, at |
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the age of 91; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Dovie Sutton and Albert Satterwhite, |
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the former Lena Delores Satterwhite was born in Gonzales County on |
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August 31, 1930; she grew up in Seguin and demonstrated a strong |
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work ethic as a young girl, bussing tables at a hotel café and |
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holding down a job at a dry cleaners; after graduating from |
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Lincoln-Ball High School in 1949, she completed nursing school, but |
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she left that field to earn a master's degree in business; she owned |
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a popular restaurant and music venue before focusing her career on |
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social services; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1976, she moved to Corpus Christi, where she |
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established herself as an entrepreneur, owning such businesses as |
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the Unity Chapel Funeral Home; she married Frank Alfred Wilson and |
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devoted herself to their treasured family, including twin daughters |
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Lana and Dana and son Al; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Wilson became executive director of HIALCO, a |
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community service agency, and then director of mental retardation |
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vocational services for the Nueces County MHMR Community Center; a |
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pioneer in vocational education, she was also instrumental in the |
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establishment of two residential homes for people with |
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disabilities, Elliott Grant Homes and Jefferine Lytle Estates; she |
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eventually launched her own company, Lena's Business Management and |
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Consultants, as well as the nonprofit LC Foundation, which helps |
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individuals with disabilities find permanent jobs; its initiatives |
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have further included creation of the Lena Coleman-Wilson Hope |
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Scholarship at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, holiday |
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donations to children, and contributions to a local group |
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alleviating hunger; deeply committed to education, Mrs. Wilson |
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also funded the Lena D. Wilson Visionary Legacy Scholarship at |
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Lincoln-Ball High School; she was a member of the League of Women |
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Voters and president emeritus of the H. Boyd Hall branch of the |
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NAACP, and she held leadership roles with such organizations as the |
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United Way and the local chamber of commerce; and |
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WHEREAS, A woman of faith, Mrs. Wilson attended church |
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services regularly; she eventually retired to Schertz, closer to |
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her home congregation, New St. James Baptist Church in Seguin; and |
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WHEREAS, Lena Wilson gave freely of her time, resources, and |
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expertise to better her community, and her contributions will be |
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remembered and admired for years to come; 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 life of |
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Lena D. Wilson and extend sincere sympathy to all who mourn her |
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passing; 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 Lena D. |
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Wilson. |