R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, May 17, 1997, was indeed a special day for Ercyle S. 1-2 Tipton, for on that day, she celebrated her 86th birthday; and 1-3 WHEREAS, A native of Shelby County, Texas, Mrs. Tipton has 1-4 lived in different sections of our state from the Deep East Texas 1-5 of her birth to her home now in Jacksboro, and in those communities 1-6 she has always been a vital and valued member of local society; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Over the years, she has given freely of her time and 1-8 talent to better the world in which she lives, especially through 1-9 her over four decades of membership in the Order of the Eastern 1-10 Star; and 1-11 WHEREAS, She has passed that tradition of service on to her 1-12 granddaughter Karen Martin Thornton, who was elected in May as a 1-13 member of the board of trustees of the Jacksboro Independent School 1-14 District, and her grandson Hugh L. Strange, who is acknowledged 1-15 for his great political acumen and firm grasp of legislative 1-16 strategy as a legislative assistant to Representative Glen Maxey of 1-17 Austin; and 1-18 WHEREAS, A discriminating woman of taste, Mrs. Tipton has 1-19 always demonstrated great acumen in the decorative, domestic, 1-20 culinary, and fine arts, beginning as a young girl when she painted 1-21 in oil, without formal artistic training, scenes of wildlife and 1-22 nature; and 1-23 WHEREAS, She and her late husband, L. E. "Red" Strange, a 1-24 civil engineer of renown and World War II veteran, passed their 2-1 equally great talents on to their children, Virginia Anne Strange 2-2 Martin and the late James Stephen Strange; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Mrs. Tipton delights in the affection of her loving 2-4 family, including her daughter; son-in-law Robert Lee Martin; 2-5 grandson Keith I. Martin and his wife Tamara; Mrs. Thornton and her 2-6 husband Mike; Mr. Strange and his brother Gregory Stephen 2-7 Strange-Hart; and her great-grandchildren Worth Thornton, Carter 2-8 Thornton, and Kayla Martin; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Ercyle S. Tipton, a woman of grace, style, and 2-10 charm, is truly an inspiration to her fellow Texans in an era that 2-11 is bereft of civility; she has made the world a better place simply 2-12 by being that rarest of all creatures, a Southern lady; and 2-13 WHEREAS, She is indeed deserving of special legislative 2-14 recognition at this time; now, therefore, be it 2-15 RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State of 2-16 Texas, That the House hereby honor Ercyle S. Tipton by recognizing 2-17 May 17 annually as Ercyle S. Tipton Day at the Texas Capitol and 2-18 extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success and 2-19 happiness in the future; and, be it further 2-20 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-21 prepared for Mrs. Tipton as an expression of high regard by the 2-22 Texas House of Representatives. Maxey _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1361 was adopted by the House on June 2, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House