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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Del Rio lost a beloved educator and |
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community leader with the passing of Irene Cardenas Cardwell on |
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August 25, 2008, at the age of 99; and |
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WHEREAS, Irene Cardenas was born on April 9, 1909, to Petra |
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and Serapio Cardenas of Del Rio; she graduated from Del Rio High |
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School in 1927 and earned a teacher's certificate and master's |
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degree in education from Sul Ross State Teachers College in Alpine; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 1932, this esteemed Texan married the love of her |
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life, Ernest Cardwell, and the couple shared 59 rewarding years of |
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matrimony; they became the parents of four children, Teresita, |
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Louis, Thomas, and David, and later had the pleasure of welcoming 10 |
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grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren into their family; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Cardwell made innumerable contributions to the |
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lives of young Texans during her more than four decades in the field |
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of education; she taught first grade for over 31 years in the San |
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Felipe Independent School District, worked as an elementary school |
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principal for 14 years, and served at length in Washington, D.C., as |
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a presidential appointee to the National Advisory Council on the |
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Education of Disadvantaged Children; in 1999, on the date of her |
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90th birthday, her myriad accomplishments were recognized when |
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Travis Elementary, where she had previously worked, was renamed |
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Irene C. Cardwell Elementary School in her honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to bettering her community, Ms. Cardwell |
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contributed to numerous committees and organizations and often took |
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on leadership roles in these efforts; a brief list of the groups she |
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aided includes the March of Dimes, the United Fund Drive, the |
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Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee, the Val Verde Memorial |
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Hospital Women's Auxiliary, and the Val Verde County Library Board, |
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and there were many others; she also instituted such initiatives as |
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free citizenship classes with LULAC Council 353 and social |
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enhancement through the Boots and Bows Square Dance Club, and her |
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role in the formation of the first Girl Scout troop in her district |
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earned her the title of "Woman of Distinction" from the Girl Scouts |
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El Camino Council; and |
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WHEREAS, Many other accolades were conferred upon Ms. |
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Cardwell throughout her remarkable life; she was honored by the |
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Texas House of Representatives, by two Texas governors, by |
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President Richard Nixon for her service to disadvantaged children, |
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and by President Harry Truman for her contributions to the |
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Selective Service System; her contributions in education were |
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further acknowledged by the American Association of University |
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Women and the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers, and her |
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diligent work in service to her church earned her the Archbishop |
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Francis Furey Bronze Medal as well as other honors; moreover, she |
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was named Lions Club Citizen of the Year, given the community |
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service award by the Knights of Columbus, and recognized by the U.S. |
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Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service as |
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well as Casa de la Cultura in Del Rio; and |
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WHEREAS, Irene Cardwell led an accomplished, purposeful life |
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and inspired countless people with her words and deeds; although |
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she is deeply missed, her legacy of diligence, faith, and service to |
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her community will long resonate in Texas and throughout the |
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nation; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Irene Cardenas |
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Cardwell and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: |
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to her children, Louis Ernest Cardwell, Teresita Cardwell Rodriguez |
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and her husband, Donato, Thomas E. Cardwell and his wife, Libby, and |
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David E. Cardwell and his wife, Peggy; to her brother, Jesus |
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Cardenas; to her grandchildren, Donato Rodriguez III and his wife, |
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Dana, Linda Donovan and her husband, Jim, Tess Tejan, Louis |
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Cardwell and his wife, Pam, Nelson Cardwell and his wife, Rhonda, |
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and John, William, Belia, Ernest, and Theresa Cardwell; to her 14 |
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great-grandchildren; and to her other relatives and friends; and, |
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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 Irene |
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Cardwell. |
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Gallego |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 596 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on March 5, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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