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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the life of Ruth Laverne Wells Wyrick, who died on |
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April 14, 2023, at the age of 88; and |
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WHEREAS, A fourth-generation Texan, Ruth Laverne Wells was |
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born on September 29, 1934, in Waco; she attended the segregated |
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A. J. Moore High School and went on to graduate from Southwestern |
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Christian College in Terrell; she moved to Dallas, where she met |
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and married Ernest "Deacon" Wyrick, and they settled in Oak Cliff |
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and shared 59 years of marriage; they were blessed with two |
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children, Narleski and Natesha; and |
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WHEREAS, A woman of strong Christian faith, Ruth was a |
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courageous and determined person who was firm in her principles, |
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and she was guided by her faith in her daily life; she enrolled |
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her children in private elementary and high schools, and her son |
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attended Dallas Christian School in 1968 when the school had not |
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yet been desegregated; when the school was relocated, Ruth joined |
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other parents in establishing Christian Academy of Oak Cliff, |
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where she served as a member of the Parent Teacher Organization |
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and the Ladies Auxiliary for Christian Education; and |
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WHEREAS, Ruth and Deacon were faithful members of Marsalis |
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Avenue Church of Christ in Oak Cliff, where Ruth taught Bible |
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classes, volunteered as a youth counselor, and supported her |
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church members as a companion in prayer; she also volunteered |
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with Lifeline Chaplaincy through Marsalis, and she supported her |
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husband in his many church responsibilities as well as in their |
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work with the National Youth Conference of the Churches of |
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Christ; and |
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WHEREAS, Ruth was instrumental in creating the Mr. and |
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Miss National Youth Conference Pageant, one of the most esteemed |
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activities for youth across the brotherhood; active in the Dallas |
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chapter of Southwestern Christian College's alumni association, |
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Ruth raised close to $1.5 million over the past 25 years, and she |
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won numerous awards for her outstanding service, including |
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receiving an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2012; and |
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WHEREAS, A mentor to church leaders and ministers and a |
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believer in the power of political activism, Ruth held various |
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leadership positions and served her community as chair of the |
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City of Dallas Martin Luther King Jr. Board; she served as |
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Democratic Precinct Chair for 50 years and as a Dallas County |
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election judge for local and state elections, and she attended |
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the Texas Democratic Convention for 40 years; she was an |
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influential and charismatic woman whose political endorsements |
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could inspire multitudes to turn out and support first-time |
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candidates; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to her spiritual and political |
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activities, Ruth worked for the Dallas Independent School |
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District for more than 20 years until her retirement in 2009; |
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above all else, she was a loving wife and mother and a devoted |
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grandmother to her five grandsons; Ruth gave unselfishly to |
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others, and her kindness, her passion, and her generous spirit |
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will long be remembered by all who were blessed to share in her |
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life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Ruth Laverne Wells Wyrick; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Ruth Wells Wyrick. |