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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 810
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the citizens |
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of Dallas in mourning the loss of longtime civic and political |
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leader Charlotte Yvonne Ragsdale, who died April 7, 2007, at the |
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age of 57; and |
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WHEREAS, Charlotte Ragsdale was born in Dallas on May 18, 1949, |
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to Cottrell and Lula Simpson Ragsdale; she became a civil rights |
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activist at a young age and was active in the National Association |
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for the Advancement of Colored People Youth Council; and |
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WHEREAS, She graduated from James Madison High |
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School and attended Grambling University; she was married to |
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Benjamin Younger IV and the couple had one son, Benjamin Younger V; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Charlotte was a member of the Southern Christian |
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Leadership Conference, the District 6 Land Use Committee, the |
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South Dallas-Fair Park Innercity Community Development |
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Corporation, and the Dallas County Community Action Committee; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Following in the footsteps of her mother, she |
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served as a Dallas County Democratic precinct chair for over 15 |
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years; she worked to increase minority representation on the |
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Dallas City Council, and she served on the Dallas Planning |
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Commission; she was a key advisor to her sister Diane Ragsdale |
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and a campaign consultant to several political candidates; and |
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WHEREAS, She owned one of Dallas' first African boutiques, |
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Elegantly Africa, and she founded The Ragsdale Company, a |
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marketing and advertising firm; and |
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WHEREAS, Charlotte was a lifelong member of Kirkwood |
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Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; she played the |
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piano for the church and received the church's Thelma Wilson |
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Award for exemplifying the true spirit of Christian discipline |
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and commitment; she was cochair of the church's Katrina Relief |
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efforts, and in spite of her declining health, she spent many |
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hours marshaling resources for hurricane victims; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted mother, grandmother, and sister, |
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Charlotte Ragsdale will long be remembered for her service to her |
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community and her dedication to justice, her faith, and her |
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family; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, |
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80th Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the |
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bereaved family of Charlotte Yvonne Ragsdale: her son and |
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daughter-in-law, Benjamin Younger V and Erreshea; her sisters, |
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Diane Ragsdale, Mary Lee Sheppard, and Yvonne Fletcher; and her |
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grandchildren and many nieces and nephews; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the |
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Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do |
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so in memory of Charlotte Yvonne Ragsdale. |
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West |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on April 23, 2007, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |