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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, A generous and productive life drew to a close with |
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the passing of Gratie Mae Potts of Clarksville on March 19, 2009, at |
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the age of 88; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Berry and Effie Thompson, Gratie |
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Potts was born in Clarksville on August 21, 1920; she graduated from |
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Cheatham High School and went on to earn her bachelor's degree from |
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Prairie View A&M University; after graduation, she married her |
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college sweetheart, Frank Robinson, and the couple later became the |
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parents of a treasured daughter, Janet; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Potts began her teaching career in Deport and |
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then taught second grade at Central Elementary School and English |
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at Central High School in New Boston, where she also coached the |
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girls' basketball team to two district championships; in 1959, this |
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esteemed educator returned to her alma mater and taught at Cheatham |
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High until the end of segregation enabled her transfer to |
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Clarksville High School; Mrs. Potts instilled in her students a |
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love of learning and encouraged them to reach their full potential, |
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earning their lasting respect and admiration; and |
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WHEREAS, She married Willie D. Potts in 1957, and she was a |
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devoted wife and mother to a family that grew to include four more |
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daughters, Betty, Ester, Brenda, and Gloria, as well as three sons, |
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Franklin, Samuel, and Willie Potts, Jr.; Mrs. Potts eventually |
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welcomed 20 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and 5 |
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great-great-grandchildren into the family, and extended loving |
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maternal care to her cousins, Patricia, Chelsey, Octavia, and |
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Clayton Ricks, and most recently to Chelsey's daughter, De'Jah, and |
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Octavia's son, Braden, in the next generation; and |
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WHEREAS, Following her retirement in 1986, Mrs. Potts devoted |
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herself to her community, continuing to teach others through her |
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example of good works; she served as president of the Red River |
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County chapter of the American Cancer Society and as a dynamic |
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volunteer for the East Texas Medical Center Clarksville Auxiliary, |
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Relay for Life, Helping Hands, the Retired Senior Volunteer |
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Program, and the public library's thrift store; moreover, she was a |
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member of PRIDE, the Retired Teachers Association, and Heroines of |
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Jericho; a keen supporter of the democratic process, she attended |
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meetings for political candidates and encouraged her fellow |
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citizens to exercise their right to vote; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Potts joined Zion Traveler Baptist Church at an |
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early age and went on to become a deaconess; she served the church |
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in a variety of capacities, including program chair, mission |
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teacher, announcement clerk, and funeral committee chair; in the |
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late 1980s, she also became known as one of the "Golden Girls," |
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attending numerous church functions with her friends, Mildred |
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Pearson, Lillie Williams, and Norma Williams, and acting as the |
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charming group's chauffeur; moreover, she helped maintain longtime |
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friendships as a member of the Cheatham High School Reunion |
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Advisory Committee and never missed a reunion; and |
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WHEREAS, Gratie Potts made a positive difference in countless |
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lives through her commitment to education, to her community, and to |
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her family, and she will long be remembered with the greatest |
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affection by all who shared in the blessing of her love and |
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friendship; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the life of Gratie Mae Potts and extend |
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sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her daughters, |
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Janet Porter, Ester Barber, Brenda Wilburn, and Gloria Barber; to |
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her son, Samuel W. Potts; to her 20 grandchildren, 23 |
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great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren; to her |
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cousins, Patricia, Chelsey and her daughter, De'Jah, Octavia and |
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her son, Braden, and Clayton "C.J." Ricks; and to her many other |
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relatives and 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Gratie Mae Potts. |
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Homer |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 200 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 4, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 200 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the Senate on May 18, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |