79R10427 MDM-D

By:  Brown of Kaufman                                             H.R. No. 971


R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, In recognition of her 80th birthday, Mary Doyle Smith of Athens was the guest of honor at a family-hosted celebration held on March 12, 2005, at Eastern Hills Church of Christ; and WHEREAS, A native of the Ash community in Henderson County, the former Mary Doyle Tanner was born on March 11, 1925, the youngest of four children; after graduating from Athens High School in 1943, she worked for a Dallas insurance company until 1945, when she married Odus Melton Houston; and WHEREAS, Over the course of her husband's career with A&P and the Sherwin-Williams Company, this lovely lady raised two children while living in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas; in 1965, she rejoined the workforce as an employee of Montgomery Ward in Tyler; eight years later, she and her husband moved to Athens, where they owned the Gulf Oil distributorship in that city until 1990, and she worked for the new owner for seven additional years, during which time she became a widow; and WHEREAS, Fortunate to find love a second time, she married Ernest Smith in 1997; her cherished family today includes a daughter, Delayne Houston Warner and her husband, Jay, a son, Donald W. Houston and his wife, Lanita, as well as four adored grandchildren, Alice Shawn Gillispie, Stephen Wayne Gillispie, Rachel Kim Houston, and Benjamin Lee Houston; and WHEREAS, For eight decades, Mary Doyle Smith has been treasured by her circle of loved ones for her generous spirit and warm, caring nature, and it is a pleasure to recognize this very special milestone in her life; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas Legislature hereby warmly congratulate Mary Doyle Smith on the memorable occasion of her 80th birthday and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mrs. Smith as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.