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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1220
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In Memory |
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of |
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Alma Loucille Smartt Lawler |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas |
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honors and commemorates the life of longtime civic leader |
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Alma Loucille Smartt Lawler, who died May 24, 2007, at the age |
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of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, Lou Smartt was born on February 19, 1925, in |
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Cisco, Texas; she graduated from Cisco High School in 1942 and |
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moved with her family to San Francisco, where she began what |
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would become a lifetime commitment to civic duty by selling war |
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bonds and working in a munitions factory to help with the war |
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effort; and |
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WHEREAS, She met the late Colonel Jack D. Lawler at a |
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United Service Organizations dance; they were married on |
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November 11, 1946; she and her husband moved to La Porte, Texas, |
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in 1947 and ran successful restaurants and rental businesses |
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that continue today; and |
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WHEREAS, Her many civic activities included working with |
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the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the |
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Salvation Army, the La Porte Civic Club, and the Historical |
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Society; she was honored with such distinctions as the Gus Groos |
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Humanitarian Award and the title of Volunteer of the Year |
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for the Neighborhood Center of La Porte; and |
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WHEREAS, She was the first woman to serve as president |
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of the La Porte/Bayshore Chamber of Commerce and the first woman |
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to serve as a director for the La Porte State Bank; it was while |
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she was chamber president that she became aware of the needs of |
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seafarers who entered the Port of Houston at Barbour's Cut in |
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La Porte; and |
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WHEREAS, She began working in the early 1980s with |
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the Houston International Seafarers Center Board to build |
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a Seafarers Center; the center grew to be a 5,000-square-foot |
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facility that serves as a home-away-from-home for thousands of |
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seafarers from around the world; she became an ecumenical port |
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chaplain and attended a world conference of port chaplains in |
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Rome; she was presented a medal of honor by the Pope for her |
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ministry to seafarers; and |
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WHEREAS, She was a member of the First United Methodist |
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Church for more than 50 years; she was a charter member of Beta |
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Sigma Phi, and a life member of the PTO; she served as an election |
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judge for more than 25 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Lou Lawler will long be remembered for her |
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dedication and civic leadership in the La Porte community; |
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a devoted mother and grandmother, she leaves behind memories |
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that will be treasured forever by all who were privileged to |
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share in her life; 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 Alma Loucille Smartt Lawler: her daughter, |
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Patsy L. Frey; her son and daughter-in-law, Hal H. Lawler and |
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Jan Lawler; her sister, Ruth Lewis; her grandchildren, |
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Kathryn E. Lawler and John A. Lawler; her step-grandchildren, |
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Todd Solomen and Jeremy Frey; and Sonny Hilden, whom she raised |
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as a son; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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the members of her family as an expression of deepest sympathy |
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from the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this |
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day, it do so in memory of Alma Loucille Smartt Lawler. |
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Jackson |
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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 May 28, 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 |