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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and productive life drew to a close with the |
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passing of admired Starr County educator and civic leader Miriam |
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Smith Vale on February 11, 2011, at the age of 104; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Mattie Louise Edwards and Samuel |
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Richard Smith, the former Miriam Smith was born in Lindale in Smith |
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County on May 23, 1906; she graduated from Lindale High School and |
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went on to earn her bachelor's degree from Texas Woman's University; |
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after moving to Rio Grande City for a teaching position, she met |
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Arnold J. Vale, and they married on February 19, 1930, in Havana, |
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Texas; over the course of the couple's six decades together, |
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Mrs. Vale supported her husband in all his professional endeavors, |
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including his 16 years of service in the Texas House of |
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Representatives; and |
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WHEREAS, The Vales became the parents of three sons, Arnold, |
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John, and Samuel, and Mrs. Vale continued her distinguished career |
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as a teacher and dietitian, working in La Grulla, La Joya, Rio |
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Grande City, and Roma until her retirement in 1971; she often joked |
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that she was a feminist before the word was invented, and, as one of |
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the few college-educated women of her generation, she mentored |
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other women seeking to balance professional lives and motherhood; |
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moreover, while encouraging others to give back to their |
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communities, she set a shining example of service; and |
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WHEREAS, A lifetime member of the General Federation of |
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Women's Clubs, Mrs. Vale was associated with that organization for |
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80 years; she was a charter member of the Pan American Round Table, |
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the Starr County Retired Teachers Association, and the Starr County |
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Historical Society; during her 43 years of service on the Starr |
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County Historical Commission, she served for four years as chair, |
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and she helped organize the Starr County Historical Foundation and |
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served as its chair for the rest of her lifetime; in addition, she |
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was a member of the Texas Democratic Party Executive Committee for |
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10 years; and |
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WHEREAS, This avid student of history and genealogy was a |
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member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and of the |
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National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century; in her late 90s, she |
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published a book entitled Eight Generations of Vale-Sanchez, about |
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her husband's family, and held a book signing at the historic La |
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Borde House Hotel; and |
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WHEREAS, Through her commitment to education and to her |
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community, Miriam Vale touched many lives, and her kindness, |
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generosity, and dedication will remain a lasting source of |
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inspiration to those who were fortunate enough to know her; now, |
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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 memory of Miriam Smith Vale |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: to her |
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son, Samuel Franklin Vale, and his wife, Linda; to her |
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grandchildren, Mia Miriam Vale McNutt and her husband, Tom, Juanita |
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Eduarda Vale, Robert Arthur Vale and his wife, Cynthia, and |
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Jennifer Vale Ortiz and her husband, Dr. Juan Manuel; to her |
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great-grandchildren, Luis Enrique Ramirez Vale, Bianca Lucia |
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Ramirez Vale, Carson Elizabeth McNutt, Blaine Anne McNutt, Samuel |
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Jacob Vale, Isaac Matthew Vale, and Sebastian Vale Ortiz; to |
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Richard Luis Saenz, Danielle Saenz Muniz and her husband, Ivan, |
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Ivan Muniz II, and Briana Muniz; and to her many other relatives and |
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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 Miriam |
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Smith Vale. |
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Guillen |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 846 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on March 31, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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