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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Waco lost a beloved resident and admired |
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community leader with the passing of Frances Sturgis on May 22, |
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2009, at the age of 93; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Tennessee, Mrs. Sturgis grew up in |
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Memphis and attended Mars Hill College before transferring to |
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Baylor University to earn degrees in English and education; she met |
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Carroll Sturgis while at Baylor and married him in 1937; the couple, |
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who would go on to share 64 years together, made their home in Waco, |
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and Mrs. Sturgis lovingly raised their children, Elinor and |
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Carroll, while substitute teaching and participating in a number of |
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civic organizations; among the many offices she held were president |
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of the Junior League of Waco, the YWCA, and the Waco Literary Club |
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and chair of the Art Center board of trustees, the Brazos River |
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Festival, and the Women's Division of the United Way; she also |
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served on the Historic Waco Foundation board and the Waco City |
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Council; and |
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WHEREAS, Later in life, Mrs. Sturgis joined the environmental |
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task force of the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and became |
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founding chair of Keep Waco Beautiful, and her passion for |
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enhancing the physical landscape of her city would define her |
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remaining years; under her leadership, the staff and more than |
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11,000 volunteers of the organization initiated over 100 |
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environmental and beautification projects in the community; in |
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addition to her efforts to create Art Center Waco, Miss Nellie's |
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Pretty Place, and Heritage Square, Mrs. Sturgis is credited with |
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transforming the once-overgrown banks of the Brazos into the |
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inviting community gathering place that is Indian Spring Park, and |
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this initiative is cited as a turning point in the redevelopment of |
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downtown Waco; and |
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WHEREAS, Her outstanding contributions to the beautification |
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of her community earned Mrs. Sturgis a Citation of Honor from the |
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Texas Society of Architects and the Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Award |
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from Keep America Beautiful and she and her husband were recognized |
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with the naming of the Carroll and Frances Sturgis Fountain in front |
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of City Hall; even more important than winning her many |
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well-deserved honors, her work demonstrated that determination and |
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hard work can realize the wonders conceived by imagination; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to improving the world around her, Frances |
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Sturgis truly made a positive difference in the lives of her fellow |
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Waco residents; although this gracious and generous woman will be |
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deeply missed, the results of her leadership and vision will |
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continue to be enjoyed for many 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 Frances Sturgis and |
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extend deepest sympathy to her children, Elinor Davis and her |
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husband, J. P., and Carroll W. Sturgis, Jr., and his wife, Lois; to |
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her grandchildren, Laura Sturgis Patterson and her husband, Joel, |
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Carroll W. Sturgis III, Diana Davis Smith and her husband, Tim, Fran |
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Sturgis Lucero and her husband, Horacio, John A. Davis, Danae |
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Sturgis, and Hunter Sturgis; to her nine great-grandchildren; to |
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her brother-in-law, J. Harry Jeanes; to her nephew, Sheridan |
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Cavitt; and to her other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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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 Frances |
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Sturgis. |