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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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passing of Arlene Wilson Russell of Mount Pleasant on October 29, |
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2008, at the age of 98; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Arlene Wilson was born in Granger on |
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October 20, 1910, to Charles Alexander Wilson and Bonnie Constance |
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Booker Wilson, and she was later joined by eight siblings; when she |
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was in the 10th grade, her family relocated to Kenedy, and she went |
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to live with her grandmother in Austin, where she could continue |
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taking shorthand, typing, and other business courses; she completed |
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her senior year at Kenedy High School, graduating among the top |
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three in her class, and she began working as a secretary at an |
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automobile agency; and |
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WHEREAS, In January 1929, Mrs. Russell joined the staff of |
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the Texas House of Representatives as a stenographer, and having |
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enjoyed this experience tremendously, she returned for three |
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additional regular sessions and several called sessions over the |
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next six years; during each interim, she would seek temporary |
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employment and anxiously wait for the following session to convene; |
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in 1933, she served as the assistant to the chief clerk of the Texas |
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House, and she delighted in sharing a desk in front of the speaker's |
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rostrum, spending more time on the house floor, and becoming |
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acquainted with the members--including a handsome new |
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representative from Titus County named Traylor Russell; and |
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WHEREAS, After working alongside one another in Austin and |
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developing a relationship, Mr. and Mrs. Russell were married on |
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April 5, 1935, and they stayed at the Driskill Hotel through the end |
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of that year's legislative session, at which point they settled in |
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Mount Pleasant; while her husband built a law practice, Mrs. |
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Russell worked as the assistant to the county clerk, and by 1941, |
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she was focused on raising a family; the couple were blessed with a |
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son, Bob, and twins, Sam and Rebecca; Mr. Russell went on to become |
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district attorney, and Mrs. Russell was active in her community as a |
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member of the Southside Church of Christ and the Junior Kroweldeen |
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Club; and |
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WHEREAS, Arlene Russell enhanced the lives of all those who |
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were fortunate enough to share in her love and friendship, and she |
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will long be remembered with great admiration and affection; now, |
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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 Arlene Wilson Russell and extend |
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sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her sons, Robert |
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Traylor Russell and Sam Russell and his wife, Janet; to her |
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daughter, Rebecca Quebe and her husband, George; to her |
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grandchildren, Clay Russell and Monica and Jeff Welborn; to her |
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great-grandchildren, Tyler and Jack Welborn; to her sister, Carolyn |
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Singleton and her husband, Hugh; and to her other relatives and |
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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 and Senate adjourn sine die, they do so in memory of |
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Arlene Wilson Russell. |