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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Therese |
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Fitzgerald Deats of Dickinson, who died on March 18, 2009, at the |
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age of 89; and |
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WHEREAS, Therese Fitzgerald was born in Cleveland, Texas, on |
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February 9, 1920, to Ernest and Fannie Havard Fitzgerald; after |
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spending her early years on her grandparents' farm near Cleveland, |
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she also lived for a time in the Mojave Desert in California; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1935, Miss Fitzgerald moved to Dickinson, Texas, |
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with her family, and in 1937 she graduated from Dickinson High |
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School and married Malcolm Deats; Mr. and Mrs. Deats shared their |
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lives together for 47 years, until his death; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Deats worked at several local banks, including |
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Citizens State Bank in Dickinson and Bank of the Mainland in La |
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Marque; in the early 1970s, she started her own business, Deats |
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Flower Shop, and she later went on to run a shop with her husband; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, An active member of her community, Mrs. Deats |
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attended First United Methodist Church in Dickinson for 74 years, |
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where she was a teacher and superintendent of the Sunday school; she |
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was also a scout leader, a member of the PTA, and a founder of the |
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55-Plus organization; and |
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WHEREAS, Affectionately known to her friends as "Deatsie," |
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she was a vivacious woman who found great pleasure in trying new |
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things at an age when many people are content to take it easy; after |
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retirement, she took a job selling programs at Gulf Greyhound Park, |
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and she began writing a column for the Galveston County Daily News, |
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"Dots by Deatsie"; she also played the tough-talking "Mama" of the |
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owners of an automobile dealership in a series of commercials that |
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ran on local television for nearly 20 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Therese Deats lived a caring and accomplished life, |
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and memories of many happy times spent in her company remain to |
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comfort all those who knew and loved 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 memory of Therese Fitzgerald |
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Deats and extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: |
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to her son, Ernie Deats, and his wife, Kathy; to her daughter, Jane |
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Hayley, and her husband, Jimmy; to her grandchildren and their |
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spouses, Lori and Lynn Honeycutt, Jerry and Cindy Hayley, and Jason |
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Hayley; to her great-grandchildren, Colton Honeycutt, Catelyn |
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Honeycutt, Clay Honeycutt, Amanda Hayley, Abby Hayley, Allyson |
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Hayley, Zack Hayley, and Jacob Hayley; and to her other relatives |
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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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Therese |
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Fitzgerald Deats. |