1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 442 1-3 In Memory 1-4 of 1-5 Mary Frances Baylor 1-6 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the citizens 1-7 of Austin in mourning the loss of one of the city's well-known 1-8 community organizers and civic leaders, Mary Frances Baylor, who 1-9 died March 16, 1997, at the age of 67; and 1-10 WHEREAS, The only child of Gladys Y. Freeman, Mary Frances 1-11 lived her entire life on the same street where her great-grandparents 1-12 had lived 100 years before; they were among the founders of the 1-13 West Austin neighborhood called Clarksville, an area settled in 1863 1-14 by African Americans; and 1-15 WHEREAS, A graduate of the original Anderson High School, 1-16 Mary Frances Baylor attended Huston-Tillotson College and was 1-17 employed with the City of Austin, Health and Human Services 1-18 Department, for 24 years; and 1-19 WHEREAS, A volunteer in President Johnson's War on Poverty, 1-20 she served as director of the Clarksville Neighborhood Center 1-21 from 1968 until her retirement in 1996; it was during this time 1-22 that she worked diligently to get the community's streets paved 1-23 and sewers installed; later, when the area became desirable, she 2-1 became dedicated to building low-income housing that would allow 2-2 African Americans to stay in their neighborhood; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Mary never lost her love for her community and her 2-4 sense of place; her childhood instilled in her the importance of 2-5 family and community and she developed a deep compassion for the 2-6 poor; and 2-7 WHEREAS, She was persistent in her struggle to preserve 2-8 Clarksville when it was threatened by Austin's rapid growth and 2-9 the MoPac Expressway, despite those who told her she could not win 2-10 against developers; the recent census confirms that more African 2-11 American families live in Clarksville today than when developers 2-12 came in the 1980s; and 2-13 WHEREAS, A gentle but strong activist for justice and equal 2-14 treatment for all people, Mary became an inspiration for young 2-15 people and encouraged them to become involved in their communities; 2-16 and 2-17 WHEREAS, After her marriage to Charles E. Baylor, Mary became 2-18 the mother of five children, Cynthia, Linda, Vicky, Ronnie, and Skip; 2-19 she provided a nurturing home for her family that grew to include 2-20 five grandchildren and a great-grandchild; and 2-21 WHEREAS, Mrs. Baylor was a devoted member of Sweethome 2-22 Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as church clerk for 2-23 eight years and was active in the Missionary Society; and 2-24 WHEREAS, Mary Frances Baylor leaves a legacy of compassion 2-25 and commitment that will live on in the hearts and minds of all 3-1 who shared her life as well as those who benefitted from her 3-2 contributions to the Clarksville community; now, therefore, be it 3-3 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-4 75th Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the family of 3-5 Mary Frances Baylor: her husband, Charles; her daughters, Cynthia, 3-6 Linda, and Vicky; her sons, Ronnie and Skip; her grandchildren, 3-7 Kevin, Terry, April, Kisha, and Tony; and her great-grandchild, 3-8 Dusty; and, be it further 3-9 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her 3-10 family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas Senate, 3-11 and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of 3-12 Mary Frances Baylor. 3-13 Barrientos 3-14 ______________________________________ 3-15 President of the Senate 3-16 I hereby certify that the above 3-17 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-18 on April 7, 1997, by a rising vote. 3-19 ______________________________________ 3-20 Secretary of the Senate 3-21 ______________________________________ 3-22 Member, Texas Senate