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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family, friends, and citizens across the Lone Star |
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State are mourning the loss of entrepreneur and philanthropist |
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Jeanette Epstein Oshman, who died on March 25, 2009, at the age of |
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98; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Jeanette Epstein was born in Poland to |
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Fanny and Jacob Epstein and emigrated with her family to the United |
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States in 1921; settling in Houston, she quickly learned English, |
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one of five languages that she spoke; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating from high school, she went to work |
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for her uncle, Joe Levit, at Grocer Supply, which was where she |
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first encountered Jake Oshman; immediately smitten, she made a |
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beeline for Oshman's Sporting Goods to buy a pair of tennis shoes |
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and win the young man's heart; she and Mr. Oshman were wed in 1936, |
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and they shared a fulfilling marriage until his death in 1965; |
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fortunate enough to find love a second time, she remarried in 1971 |
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and enjoyed nearly 25 years with Meyer "Bubba" Efron, until his |
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death in 1995; and |
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WHEREAS, At the time of her first husband's death, Mrs. |
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Oshman took over the management of Oshman's seven stores to ensure |
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their survival as a family-owned business; delegating day-to-day |
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operations to her son-in-law, Alvin Lubetkin, she became chair of |
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the board and took a leading role in expanding the company into a |
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successful chain of 220 stores; she was equally successful later in |
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life, when she became involved in real estate investment; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Mrs. Oshman maintained friendships |
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with many local Oshman's employees, whom she shepherded through the |
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initial transition with regular visits to the stores; her friendly |
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yet determined style won their loyalty and later earned her the |
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nickname "the iron butterfly" from business associates; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Oshman was an extraordinarily generous woman, |
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supporting various Jewish organizations, helping to put a number of |
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people through school, and contributing to such worthwhile |
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institutions as Baylor College of Medicine, Holocaust Museum |
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Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts, Beren Academy, and the Baylor |
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Department of Molecular and Human Genetics; and |
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WHEREAS, This multifaceted woman approached all of her |
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endeavors with the same remarkable spirit, discipline, and strength |
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that characterized her leadership of her family business, and she |
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leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire others for many |
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years to come; 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 Jeanette Epstein |
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Oshman and extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: |
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to her daughters, Judy Margolis and her husband, Kenneth, and |
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Marilyn Oshman and her partner, Alvin Lubetkin; to her sister, Ruth |
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Freedman; to her grandchildren, Karen Desenberg, Gary Gerson and |
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his wife, Cindy, Andrew Lubetkin and his wife, Cindy, and Jay Gerson |
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and his wife, Celine; to her great-grandchildren, Jake, Max, and |
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Morgan Gerson, Ryder, Daily, and Hope Desenberg, and Alvin, Ava, |
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and Marilyn Lubetkin; 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 Jeanette |
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Oshman. |
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Woolley |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1334 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 23, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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