By: Jackson H.R. No. 230
73R3709 JLZ-D
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, Jo Hofstetter, a longtime employee and supporter of
1-2 the LaPorte Public Library, will retire at the end of February
1-3 1993, thus bringing to a close a long and rewarding career spanning
1-4 more than a quarter century of dedicated service to the city's
1-5 public library system; and
1-6 WHEREAS, Although she began her official tenure with the
1-7 LaPorte Public Library in July 1966 when she was hired as a
1-8 full-time professional employee, her long-standing association with
1-9 the library began many years earlier when she became an active
1-10 volunteer giving generously of her time and energy in library
1-11 support activities; and
1-12 WHEREAS, In addition to serving as chairman of the library
1-13 board, which later became the organization known as Friends of the
1-14 LaPorte Public Library, Mrs. Hofstetter also made a significant
1-15 contribution to the library's long-term future as a member of the
1-16 1962 building committee that laid the groundwork for the
1-17 construction of the library building that stands today on San
1-18 Jacinto Street; and
1-19 WHEREAS, Her work and that of the other members of the
1-20 committee was instrumental in the construction of the new library
1-21 building in 1967; by then Mrs. Hofstetter was a full-time library
1-22 employee and had the pleasure of seeing the library move from the
1-23 cramped one-room office that had been its former home to the newer,
1-24 more spacious quarters it now occupies; and
2-1 WHEREAS, Throughout the ensuing years, she continued to
2-2 shepherd new ideas and programs as the library continued to expand
2-3 its range of services to the LaPorte community; among her
2-4 contributions in this regard was the creation of several discussion
2-5 groups such as the Mystery Club, which she instituted in 1980, and
2-6 the Science Fiction Club, which recently came into existence, to
2-7 engage readers with special literary interests; and
2-8 WHEREAS, Her own interests in promoting the cause of literacy
2-9 within the community and in other forms of community service extend
2-10 beyond her long-standing affiliation with the LaPorte Public
2-11 Library and are manifest in her active involvement in such
2-12 organizations as the Sylvan Literary Club, which she heads as club
2-13 president, and the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs; and
2-14 WHEREAS, A devoted wife and mother, Mrs. Hofstetter now looks
2-15 forward with anticipation to a slightly less busy retirement when
2-16 she will be able to devote more time to her husband of 44 years,
2-17 Robert, and their loving family, which has grown to include not
2-18 only their two children, Claudia and Peter, but four grandchildren
2-19 and two step-grandchildren as well; and
2-20 WHEREAS, Other items on her retirement agenda include her
2-21 continued involvement with the Friends of the LaPorte Public
2-22 Library and perhaps, at long last, the fulfillment of a lifelong
2-23 ambition with a trip or two to the moon or even to Mars; and
2-24 WHEREAS, Before then, her friends and admirers throughout the
2-25 entire community would like to pay their lasting respects to this
2-26 unique public servant on the occasion of her retirement with a
2-27 special reception in her honor on February 21, 1993; this
3-1 noteworthy event affords the members of this body an appropriate
3-2 opportunity to join with them in bestowing well-deserved praise and
3-3 recognition on one of the community's most respected citizens; now,
3-4 therefore, be it
3-5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
3-6 Legislature hereby honor Librarian Jo Hofstetter for her many years
3-7 of dedicated service with the LaPorte Public Library and extend
3-8 best wishes for a happy and rewarding retirement; and, be it
3-9 further
3-10 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-11 prepared for Mrs. Hofstetter as an expression of high esteem by the
3-12 Texas House of Representatives.