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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Arlington lost an admired civic leader |
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with the death of its longtime first lady, Anna Waynette |
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Vandergriff, on July 4, 2009, at the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, An Arlington native, the former Anna Waynette Smith |
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was born on June 12, 1927, to Gladys Parker Smith and Thomas Wayne |
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Smith; her interest in music began early in life, and as a young |
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woman she directed the Arlington High School choir in University |
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Interscholastic League competitions and played the organ at local |
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churches; after graduating, she earned an associate's degree from |
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The University of Texas at Arlington and served as secretary to the |
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chair of the fine arts department; she subsequently received a |
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scholarship to Texas Christian University, where she worked as a |
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piano instructor and accompanist while studying piano and flute; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, This engaging Texan won the heart of classmate Tom |
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Vandergriff while singing "Moonlight Becomes You" at an Arlington |
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High School assembly, and the couple went on to marry on March 19, |
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1949, in a ceremony at First Methodist Church; they later became the |
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parents of five children, Vanessa, Victor, Valerie, Viveca, and |
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Vaughn, and Mrs. Vandergriff raised the couple's children to share |
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her passion for the arts; she eventually welcomed five |
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grandchildren into the family as well and took great pleasure in |
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watching them grow up; and |
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WHEREAS, While meeting the needs of her family, Mrs. |
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Vandergriff also worked tirelessly in behalf of the greater good; |
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equally committed to a life of public service, she supported her |
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husband in his role as president of the chamber of commerce, as the |
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13-term mayor of Arlington, as a United States congressman, and as a |
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Tarrant County judge even as she undertook such endeavors as |
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helping to organize the city's first community concert series and |
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serving on the board of the Dance Theatre of Arlington; with energy |
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and enthusiasm, she further benefited a number of other |
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organizations, including the Arlington Junior League, the Women's |
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Shelter, and the Arlington Newcomers Club as an advisory board |
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member, and chaired the city's first Mothers' March on Polio for the |
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March of Dimes; moreover, she hosted numerous open houses to raise |
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funds for cultural and charitable organizations and chaired the UTA |
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National Alumni Association fund drive in 1984; and |
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WHEREAS, Anna Waynette Vandergriff was a pillar of her |
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community and brought joy to many through her caring and fun-loving |
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personality; those who were privileged to know her will forever |
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treasure their memories of her dedication to her family, her |
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friends, and her hometown; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Anna Waynette |
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Vandergriff and extend sincere sympathy to the members of her |
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family: to her husband of 60 years, Tom Vandergriff; to her |
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children, Victor Vandergriff, Vanessa Watters, Valerie Kelton, and |
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Viveca Vandergriff; to her grandchildren; and to her 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 Anna |
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Waynette Vandergriff. |