HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The family and many friends of Hallie C. Stillwell
1-2 were greatly saddened by her passing on August 18, 1997, at the age
1-3 of 99, and we join them in mourning the loss of a true Texas
1-4 legend; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Born October 20, 1897, in Waco, Mrs. Stillwell moved
1-6 to the Big Bend area with her parents in 1910, and by the age of 20
1-7 she was teaching school in Presidio, armed with a pistol to protect
1-8 her students from Pancho Villa's men, who were known to make raids
1-9 across the border; and
1-10 WHEREAS, In 1918, she met and married rancher Roy Stillwell,
1-11 and the couple enjoyed a relationship that continued to grow in
1-12 mutual affection, admiration, and respect until his death in 1948;
1-13 and
1-14 WHEREAS, At that time, Mrs. Stillwell took over the
1-15 management of Stillwell Ranch, performing whatever jobs were
1-16 necessary; a crack shot with a pistol, she broke broncos, branded
1-17 cattle, built fences, and killed coyotes to keep the operation
1-18 running throughout the drought-plagued 1950s; and
1-19 WHEREAS, To bring in extra income, she set up camps of
1-20 laborers to extract wax from the desert plants that grew wild on
1-21 her ranch, and she continued to sell wax gathered in this fashion
1-22 until the 1960s; and
1-23 WHEREAS, She also took work as a journalist, writing for the
1-24 Alpine Avalanche, the San Angelo Standard-Times, and the El Paso
2-1 Herald-Post for more than two decades, and she put her literary
2-2 talents to work again in 1990 by publishing her autobiography,
2-3 entitled I'll Gather My Geese; and
2-4 WHEREAS, In 1962, declaring herself "too old to break
2-5 broncs," Mrs. Stillwell ran for and won the office of justice of
2-6 the peace for Brewster County, a position she held for 15 years;
2-7 and
2-8 WHEREAS, Well known far beyond the borders of the Lone Star
2-9 State, she came to epitomize Texas for many people, and her unique
2-10 role in the state's history was underscored when she was inducted
2-11 into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Texas
2-12 Women's Hall of Fame in 1994; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Texans are known throughout the world for their
2-14 hardy resourcefulness and generosity of spirit, and these qualities
2-15 found their truest expression in the life of Hallie Stillwell;
2-16 although she will be greatly missed, she will live on in the hearts
2-17 of all those who had the good fortune to know her; now, therefore,
2-18 be it
2-19 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-20 hereby pay tribute to the life of Hallie Crawford Stillwell and
2-21 extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her
2-22 daughter, Dadie Stillwell Potter; to her sons, Roy Stillwell and
2-23 Guy Stillwell; to her sister, Glen Harris; and to her
2-24 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren;
2-25 and, be it further
2-26 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-27 prepared for the members of her family and that when the Texas
3-1 House of Representatives and Senate adjourn today, they do so in
3-2 memory of Hallie C. Stillwell.
Gallego
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 169 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on April 16, 1999.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 169 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the Senate on April 23, 1999.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _______________________
Date
_______________________
Governor