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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Mari Spivey Willis was honored by the City of Odessa |
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during Black History Month 2023 in recognition of her outstanding |
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service to her community; and |
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WHEREAS, From 2018 to 2022, Mrs. Willis represented |
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District 5 on the Odessa City Council; she was involved in a number |
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of projects undertaken by the council to improve quality of life for |
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area residents; at the same time, her brother, Eddy Spivey, was |
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serving as justice of the peace for Precinct 4, and they enjoyed the |
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rare distinction of being sibling elected officials; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Willis has also given generously of her time |
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and talents in a number of other leadership roles; she has served on |
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the board of West Texas Gifts of Hope, among other organizations; in |
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addition, she has been a member of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce |
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Ambassadors, the Black Chamber of Commerce of The Permian Basin, |
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and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; a woman of strong |
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faith, she is an active member of St. James Missionary Baptist |
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Church, where she serves as a deaconess, a Sunday school teacher, |
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and a member of the Business and Professional Women's Ministry; and |
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WHEREAS, Born and raised in Odessa, Mari Willis is the |
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daughter of Haskell and Myrtle Lee Spivey; she graduated from Ector |
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High School, the University of Houston, and The University of Texas |
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Permian Basin; retired from the Ector County Independent School |
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District after 23 years of teaching, she is supported in all her |
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endeavors by her husband of 34 years, Kirk Willis; they have been |
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blessed with two daughters, Mariah Strong and Alisha Slider, and |
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through the years, their fine family has grown to include their |
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son-in-law, LaDarius Slider, and four treasured grandchildren, |
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Nyla, Kayli, Kendi, and Kaiser; and |
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WHEREAS, Mari Spivey Willis has made a lasting, positive |
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difference in her community, and her contributions have earned the |
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deep admiration and appreciation of her fellow citizens; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Mari Spivey Willis on her |
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recognition by the City of Odessa during Black History Month 2023 |
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and extend to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Willis as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |