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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Euless lost a beloved resident and |
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public servant with the passing of Willie Mae McCormick on January |
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13, 2007, at the age of 98; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on October 17, 1908, the former Willie Mae Ward |
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grew up on a cotton farm in Pleasant Ridge, the sixth of nine |
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children; she attended a one-room schoolhouse through the 10th |
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grade and completed her education at Jewett High School; she went on |
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to become the first person in her family to attend college, earning |
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a bachelor's degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in |
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1929, followed by a master's degree in chemistry from |
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Hardin-Simmons University in 1932; during World War II, she worked |
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as a chemist for the Dow Chemical Company in Freeport and |
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subsequently built a 20-year career as an engineer at |
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Ling-Temco-Vought in Grand Prairie; and |
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WHEREAS, Following her retirement from LTV in 1973, Mrs. |
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McCormick became the first woman elected to the Euless City |
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Council, which she served for 12 years, including 10 as mayor pro |
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tem; known for her diligence and keen intellect, she advocated for |
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equal pay for female employees and, long after her public service |
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ended, she continued to send handwritten letters of thanks and |
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congratulations to city staff; her civic leadership also included |
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extensive service with the Historical Preservation Committee and |
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the Library Board; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. McCormick's legacy of dedication to Euless |
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lives on at two city parks, McCormick Park, which was named in her |
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honor in 1980, and Heritage Park, home to the historic McCormick |
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Barn, donated by her in 1998; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan married Walter W. "Mac" |
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McCormick in 1929, and the couple enjoyed more than 65 years |
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together before his passing in 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, An exceptionally bright and generous woman, Willie |
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Mae McCormick touched countless lives with her many remarkable |
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achievements, and although she will be deeply missed, her life was |
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an inspiring example of the good that one person can accomplish; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Willie Mae McCormick |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her |
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daughter, Elizabeth; to her grandchildren, Wanda Whitley and her |
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husband, Tommy, Jackie Olsen and her husband, Gary, and Billy Mack |
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Wilcox; to her five great-grandchildren and four |
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great-great-grandchildren; and to her other relatives and many |
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friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Willie Mae |
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McCormick. |