R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The recent passing of June Pickney Ross of Galveston
1-2 on January 5, 2001, at the age of 79 has brought a great loss to
1-3 all those who knew and loved this esteemed woman; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Ms. Ross was born in Washington, D.C., and attended
1-5 Howard University before serving with the Women's Air Corps, from
1-6 which she earned an honorable discharge as a sergeant major; she
1-7 spent several years as a statistician with the Bureau of Labor
1-8 Statistics and in 1953 moved to the Lone Star State; and
1-9 WHEREAS, After arriving in Texas, she made a name for herself
1-10 in the Houston area as "Hattie Holmes" on the radio station KCOH,
1-11 after which she began a remarkable career in public service; and
1-12 WHEREAS, The executive director of the Galveston County
1-13 Community Action Council since 1973, Ms. Ross greatly benefited the
1-14 community through her work, helping to bring to fruition a host of
1-15 visionary initiatives, including the Senior Citizen's Centers in
1-16 Hitchcock and La Marque, transportation services for seniors
1-17 throughout the county, the Meals-on-Wheels program, a
1-18 rehabilitation facility for substance abusers, the Children's
1-19 Olympics, the Children's Summer Feeding Program, and a Senior
1-20 Citizen's Day; and
1-21 WHEREAS, She was a former president of the Texas Association
1-22 of Community Action Agencies and vice president and treasurer of
1-23 the national branch, and she left a legacy of hard work and
1-24 perseverance that will long be remembered by her colleagues and
2-1 peers; and
2-2 WHEREAS, Dedicated to helping the less fortunate, Ms. Ross
2-3 gave generously of her time and talents to the United Way, the
2-4 Emergency Management Advisory Commission, the Galveston Partnership
2-5 for Better Living, and the Mayor's Drug Task Force; moreover, she
2-6 was actively involved with numerous programs benefiting senior
2-7 citizens, children, and the Galveston Independent School District;
2-8 and
2-9 WHEREAS, This civic-minded woman was honored by the Texas
2-10 Department of Housing and Community Affairs with its Community
2-11 Action Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999; her commendable efforts
2-12 were also recognized with the prestigious Rabbi Henry Cohen
2-13 Humanitarian Award the following year; and
2-14 WHEREAS, June Pickney Ross was a courageous woman and an
2-15 exemplary community leader, and although she will be greatly missed
2-16 by all who knew her, her spirit will live on in the hearts and
2-17 minds of the many people whose lives she touched; now, therefore,
2-18 be it
2-19 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
2-20 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of June Pickney Ross and
2-21 extend sincere sympathy to her godchildren: Gus Thomas, Jennifer
2-22 Irene Morris, Rachael Pena, Dawn Thomas, and Darlene Dezon; to her
2-23 staff at the Galveston County Community Action Council; and to her
2-24 many close friends; and, be it further
2-25 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
2-26 prepared for the Galveston County Community Action Council and her
2-27 godchildren, and that when the Texas House of Representatives
3-1 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of June Pickney Ross.
Gray
Eiland
_______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 75 was unanimously adopted by a
rising vote of the House on March 29, 2001.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House