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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The untimely passing of Patricia Ann Matheny of |
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Austin on June 25, 2007, at the age of 56, brought a profoundly felt |
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loss to her family, to her friends and colleagues, and to the |
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residents of her community; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on December 19, 1950, the former Patricia Ann |
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Pianta grew up in Essex, Connecticut, and she went on to graduate |
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from Mercy High School in nearby Middletown; she earned a |
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bachelor's degree in education from Rivier College in Nashua, New |
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Hampshire, in 1972; she later met John Matheny in Stamford, |
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Connecticut, and the couple were joined in matrimony in 1977; Mrs. |
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Matheny taught at local schools and worked toward a master's degree |
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in counseling, which she attained from Fairfield University in |
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1980, and she also completed an internship at Yale University; in |
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1981, Mr. and Mrs. Matheny welcomed their first child, Colin, and |
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two years later, they were blessed with a daughter, Molly; and |
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WHEREAS, Due to her husband's profession, Mrs. Matheny and |
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her family relocated a number of times, and by 1984, they were |
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living in Dallas, where Mrs. Matheny taught elementary school; |
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having moved to Houston in 1988, she began working with teenagers |
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and substance abuse patients at a psychiatric facility, Stafford |
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Meadows Hospital; however, her passion for teaching children led |
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her to seek a position as an elementary school counselor with the |
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Katy Independent School District in 1991; eight years later, she |
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and her family relocated to Austin, and she obtained a similar |
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position within Round Rock ISD; employed at Fern Bluff Elementary |
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School for seven years, Mrs. Matheny garnered praise from her |
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students and their parents, as well as her fellow staff members, for |
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her compassion and professionalism and for being an anchor for the |
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school community during trying times; in February 2007, she |
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transferred to Lakeway Elementary School in Austin, and by that |
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time, she had dedicated 35 years to the field of education; and |
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WHEREAS, This devoted wife and mother took great pleasure in |
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spending time with her family and friends in the home she had |
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carefully decorated; she was a gourmet cook and an elegant |
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entertainer, and she loved collecting antiques; moreover, Mrs. |
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Matheny was a talented musician, and she sang with the Houston |
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Masterworks Chorus for several years as a first soprano; and |
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WHEREAS, An admired educator and a cherished friend, Patricia |
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Matheny touched the lives of countless individuals with her |
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kindness and generosity, and she leaves behind a legacy that will |
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forever be treasured by all those who were fortunate enough to know |
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her; 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 Patricia Ann Matheny |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her |
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husband, John Matheny; to her children, Colin and Molly Matheny; to |
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her parents, Arthur and Florence Pianta; to her siblings, Nancy |
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Liebman and Michael Pianta; and to her other relatives and many |
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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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Patricia |
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Ann Matheny. |