H.R. No. 726 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor 1-2 Davie Lee Wright Johnson for the many significant contributions she 1-3 has made to the field of nursing and congratulate her on her recent 1-4 designation as Nurse of the Year by District 1 of the Texas Nurses 1-5 Association; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson graduated from the Homer G. Phillips 1-7 Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1952 and 1-8 received a bachelor's degree in nursing from West Texas State 1-9 University in 1975; deeply committed to her chosen profession, she 1-10 earned a master's degree in nursing from The University of Texas at 1-11 Austin prior to completing graduate studies in aging at the 1-12 University of North Texas in 1994; and 1-13 WHEREAS, She began her distinguished career as a staff nurse 1-14 at Arkansas Baptist Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1952; 1-15 well regarded for her professionalism, hard work, and dedication, 1-16 she received a series of promotions over the years and served as a 1-17 supervisor at the Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Big 1-18 Spring before becoming a gerontological clinical nurse specialist 1-19 at R. E. Thomason General Hospital in El Paso, where she has worked 1-20 tirelessly for the past four years as an advocate and caregiver for 1-21 the community's elderly; and 1-22 WHEREAS, Ms. Johnson continues to make many significant 1-23 contributions to her chosen field as an esteemed member of several 1-24 professional organizations, including the American Nurses 2-1 Association, the Texas Nurses Association, the Society for 2-2 Professionals in Aging of Far West Texas, and the Southwest Society 2-3 on Aging, to name but a few, and she chairs the Professional 2-4 Advisory Committee of the Visiting Nurse Association of El Paso; 2-5 and 2-6 WHEREAS, A woman of boundless energy and enthusiasm, 2-7 Ms. Johnson currently serves on the City of El Paso's Hope for 2-8 Elderly Independence Program and the Mayor's Advisory Board on 2-9 Aging; she also contributes valuable insight to the Texas 2-10 Department of Human Services Advisory Committee for Penalties and 2-11 Sanctions in Long-Term Care and the Association for Death Education 2-12 and Counseling in Hartford, Connecticut; and 2-13 WHEREAS, Throughout her distinguished career, she has 2-14 demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to professional 2-15 development, and in addition to earning numerous hours of 2-16 continuing education credits, she has sought to impart her wealth 2-17 of knowledge and expertise to others as an instructor at The 2-18 University of Texas at El Paso College of Nursing and at El Paso 2-19 Community College, where she serves as a member of the advisory 2-20 board of the Senior Adult Program; and 2-21 WHEREAS, This remarkable lady offered critical input in the 2-22 drafting of important legislation that called for the inclusion of 2-23 gerontological curriculum in all professional health care and human 2-24 services programs in the state; and 2-25 WHEREAS, In addition to her many professional 2-26 responsibilities, Ms. Johnson generously gives of her time, 2-27 talents, and resources for the betterment of local causes, and she 3-1 is an honored member of the El Paso Women's Hall of Fame; and 3-2 WHEREAS, For 43 years, Ms. Johnson has worked tirelessly for 3-3 the benefit of the elderly and infirm members of her community, and 3-4 in doing so she has exemplified the finest qualities of the nursing 3-5 profession; now, therefore, be it 3-6 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 3-7 Legislature hereby commend Davie Lee Wright Johnson for her many 3-8 outstanding contributions to the field of nursing and congratulate 3-9 her on her recent designation as Nurse of the Year by District 1 of 3-10 the Texas Nurses Association; and, be it further 3-11 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-12 prepared for Ms. Johnson as an expression of high regard by the 3-13 Texas House of Representatives.