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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will long cherish their memories |
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of Penny Payte McLeaish of McAllen, who passed away on April 23, |
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2009; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Peter and Virginia Payte and sister |
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of Virginia Payte Steib, the former Penny Payte moved to the Rio |
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Grande Valley in 1946 with her family and graduated from Pharr-San |
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Juan-Alamo High School in 1953; and |
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WHEREAS, After two years at The University of Texas at |
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Austin, she began her teaching career at Sharyland High School |
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while attending Pan American College, from which she graduated with |
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honors in 1958; over the course of more than four decades as an |
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educator, Mrs. McLeaish taught senior English and American history |
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and government, and she coached state championship teams in debate |
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and informative and persuasive speaking as well as district and |
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regional championship teams in current issues; and |
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WHEREAS, Named a Shining Star by the Hidalgo County Zonta |
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Club, Teacher of the Year for the Sharyland Independent School |
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District, and a Distinguished UT Pan American Alumnus, she also |
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received 1 of 10 statewide Denius-UIL Sponsor Excellence Awards; |
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moreover, in 1999, she was honored with the naming of the Penny |
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Payte McLeaish Learning Resource Center; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. McLeaish and her husband, Robert, shared a |
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fulfilling marriage that spanned more than half a century, and |
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together they welcomed into their family five children, Laurel, |
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Heather, Janet, Robert, and Jeremy; and |
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WHEREAS, Not only an esteemed educator but a citizen fully |
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engaged in her community, Mrs. McLeaish made time for involvement |
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with the League of Women Voters of Hidalgo County and the Reviewer's |
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Guild of McAllen, both of which she served as president, and with |
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the Democratic party; she was also a valued member of Our Lady of |
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Sorrows Catholic Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Penny McLeaish led a life of service and generosity |
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that touched many other individuals, and she will long be |
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remembered with admiration and affection by all who were fortunate |
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enough to know 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 honor the memory of Penny Payte McLeaish and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: to her |
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husband, Robert McLeaish; to her children and their spouses, Laurel |
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McLeaish, Heather Butler and her husband, Bill, and Janet Robinson |
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and her husband, Dave Swain; to her grandchildren, Jesse and |
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Brittany Robinson; to her brothers-in-law, Mickey Steib and Jim |
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McLeaish; to her nephew, David Steib; and to her many other |
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relatives 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 Penny |
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McLeaish. |
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Gonzales |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2082 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 19, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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