SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 76
	In Memory
	of
	Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and
	commemorates the life of Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold, who
	died September 26, 2021, at the age of 94; and
	WHEREAS, A legendary activist, educator, and leader for
	social justice, Sissy Farenthold was born in Corpus Christi on
	October 2, 1926; she attended Corpus Christi High School and
	graduated from The Hockaday School; she went on to earn a degree
	from Vassar College at the age of 19 and a degree from The
	University of Texas School of Law at the age of 22; and
	WHEREAS, Sissy began a long career in public service and
	civil rights advocacy by accepting a number of appointments to
	various humanitarian service organizations and commissions; she
	served as director of Nueces County Legal Aid, and in 1968, she
	was elected as the only woman to serve in the Texas House of
	Representatives; she gained widespread support for her
	sponsorship of the Texas Equal Rights Amendment and for her
	tireless pursuit of justice during the investigation of the
	Sharpstown Scandal; and
	WHEREAS, Sissy gained national recognition when she was
	tapped as a potential vice presidential running mate for George
	McGovern at the 1972 Democratic National Convention and was the
	first woman whose nomination for the position was brought to a
	floor vote; she continued a path of trailblazing leadership in
	her roles as the first chair of the National Women's Political
	Caucus and as the first woman president of Wells College; she
	served as a professor at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and
	she taught one of the nation's first classes on sex-based
	discrimination as a professor at the University of Houston; and
	WHEREAS, An esteemed figure in international activism,
	Sissy was a member of the Helsinki Watch Committee Board of
	Directors, and she helped lead protests against nuclear
	proliferation and against apartheid in South Africa; she played a
	key role in the Third United Nations Conference for Women, and
	she participated in peace-keeping missions throughout Central
	America, Asia, and the Middle East; and
	WHEREAS, Sissy gave generously of her time and resources to
	charitable and cultural organizations; the Frances Tarlton
	"Sissy" Farenthold Endowed Lecture Series in Peace, Social
	Justice, and Human Rights is presented each year by the Rapoport
	Center and the Rothko Chapel to honor and reflect on her 60 years
	of activism and humanitarian service; and
	WHEREAS, Sissy married George Edward Farenthold in 1950,
	and they were blessed with five children; her three grandchildren
	and three great-grandchildren were a source of pride and joy for
	her; and
	WHEREAS, A truly beloved Texan, Sissy Farenthold was a
	tireless voice for the vulnerable and underserved, and she was a
	source of strength to others through her compassion and her work
	to bring about equal justice for all; she leaves behind a legacy
	of service that will continue to inspire citizens long into the
	future; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th
	Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby extend sincere
	condolences to the bereaved family of Frances Tarlton
	Farenthold; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
	her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas
	Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in
	memory of Sissy Farenthold.
	Hinojosa, Whitmire
	Alvarado Johnson Miles
	Blanco Lucio Powell
	Eckhardt Menéndez West
	Gutierrez Zaffirini
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on October 14, 2021, by
		a rising vote.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate