79S30458 CBE-D

By:  Smith of Harris                                              H.R. No. 93 



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Memories of a life characterized by devotion to 
family, leadership in the community, and success in many endeavors 
may comfort the family and friends of Carole Opryshek of Baytown, 
who passed away on March 16, 2006, at the age of 68; and
	WHEREAS, Born on January 2, 1938, in Baytown, Mrs. Opryshek 
was valedictorian of the Robert E. Lee High School Class of 1957 and 
went on to attend Lee College; after assuming ownership of her 
parents' real estate business in 1970, she soon became one of the 
most successful Realtors in the Baytown area; often called the 
"Dean of Real Estate," she received the Baytown Sun's Readers 
Choice award for favorite real estate agent four times; and
	WHEREAS, A committed civic leader, Mrs. Opryshek gave 
generously of her time and talents in behalf of her beloved 
hometown; at the time of her passing, she was a director of the 
Baytown Chamber of Commerce and a member of the city's Long Range 
Planning Commission; she had also served on the Steering Committee 
for the city's 2020 Comprehensive Plan Update and the Planning and 
Zoning Commission; a trusted advisor to a number of the city's 
mayors over the years, she also served as district coordinator for 
former U.S. Representative Nick Lampson; moreover, she was named 
Volunteer of the Year in 1999 by the chamber of commerce and in 2000 
the Baytown Sun named her Citizen of the Year; and
	WHEREAS, Her dedication to the community extended into many 
areas of advocacy; a great supporter of education, she served as 
both a member and president of the Goose Creek School Board in the 
1960s and 1970s, and she was vice chair of the Friends of Lee 
College; her contributions to the local YMCA were numerous, 
including service as a board member and as director of the 
Partnership of Youth project, which provided scholarships for 
low-income families to utilize the YMCA; in 1997, she was honored as 
the Baytown YMCA Volunteer of the Year, and she was made a lifetime 
member on her retirement from the board; she also served on the 
board of the local chapter of the American Cancer Society; and
	WHEREAS, An inspiration to her children, Mrs. Opryshek always 
made time for her family and especially enjoyed the company of her 
grandson, Steven; and
	WHEREAS, Those who were privileged to know Carole Opryshek 
will long remember her wisdom, warmth, and enthusiasm, and Baytown 
will forever be a better place to live because of her passionate 
civic involvement; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of 
Carole Opryshek and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her 
family: to her daughter, Karla Opryshek Cernosek; to her son, Karl 
Opryshek, and his wife, Deborah; to her grandson, Steven Opryshek; 
to her brother, David Wilks; to her sister, Diane Wilks Gillette, 
and her husband, John; to her caretakers and close friends, Mary and 
Charles Colwell; and to her other relatives and many friends; and, 
be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of 
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Carole 
Opryshek.