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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 100th birthday celebration of an esteemed Texas |
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citizen is an event most worthy of special recognition, and on |
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February 28, 2007, Brigid Elizabeth Lupton Owen of Lubbock is |
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marking this momentous milestone in her life; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Owen was born in Lubbock in 1907, the oldest of |
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seven children; after graduating from high school in California, |
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she attended San Diego State Teachers College, West Texas State |
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Teachers College, New Mexico A&M, and Texas Tech University, where |
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she earned her bachelor's degree in education; and |
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WHEREAS, On May 17, 1932, she exchanged vows with Lewis Owen, |
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with whom she enjoyed nearly 30 years of marriage before his |
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passing; Mrs. Owen has been blessed with 10 children, and she now |
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numbers within her family circle 36 grandchildren, 45 |
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great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, An educator for four decades, Mrs. Owen imparted her |
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love of learning to countless children; she began her teaching |
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career in 1924 at the High Lonesome Ranch in New Mexico, later |
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returning to the Texas plains to teach at a small German settlement |
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in Pep; she taught and served as principal of the school until 1944, |
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when she took a hiatus from her career to take care of her growing |
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family; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Owen returned to work in 1957, when Christ the |
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King Cathedral opened a Catholic school in Lubbock, and her special |
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gift for teaching children to read benefited every student that |
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passed through her second grade classroom; even after retiring in |
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1977, she continued to tutor children who had difficulty learning |
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to read; recently, Christ the King Cathedral School Foundation |
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Board paid tribute to her with an award for Excellence in the |
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Furthering of Catholic Education; and |
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WHEREAS, Never one to be idle, Mrs. Owen has enjoyed |
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painting, quilting, and crocheting, a hobby that led her to make |
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hats and booties for thousands of newborns through the St. Mary's |
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Hospital Auxiliary; a voracious reader, she is said to have read |
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every book about the High Plains area and New Mexico; she learned to |
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type in order to transcribe and publish her mother's diaries and, at |
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the age of 93, she learned how to use computers so that she could |
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keep in touch with her loved ones by e-mail; and |
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WHEREAS, This woman of strong faith has been a lifelong |
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member of the Catholic church; a charter member of Christ the King |
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Cathedral in Lubbock, she has taught religion classes, been active |
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in the Order of Martha for half a century, and volunteered as a Rose |
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Lady at St. Mary's Hospital for many years; and |
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WHEREAS, Known affectionately as "Big Red," Brigid Owen has |
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brought great joy and happiness into the lives of many; a cherished |
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member of her family and community, she has earned a special place |
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in the hearts of all who are privileged to know her; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Brigid Elizabeth Lupton Owen on the |
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occasion of her 100th birthday and extend to her sincere best wishes |
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for much continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Owen as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Morrison |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 389 was adopted by the House on |
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February 19, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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