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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and |
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meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family and friends |
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of Gail Coker of Waco, who passed away on March 5, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Ms. Coker was born on |
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April 15, 1947, to Joseph and Grace Jamison; she earned her |
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bachelor's degree from Carson-Newman College and her master's |
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degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Coker began her notable career at First Baptist |
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Church in Waco, where she served as director of childhood education |
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for eight years; she went on to teach at St. Paul's Episcopal Day |
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School before joining the staff at Baylor University; during her |
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distinguished 25-year tenure with the institution, she worked in |
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the graduate school office, at Piper Child Development Center, and |
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in the acquisitions department of Moody Memorial Library; in 1993, |
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Baylor named her an Alumna by Choice; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in her community of faith, Ms. Coker was a |
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valued member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church; she served as a |
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department director and part-time preschool division director at |
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the house of worship, and, together with her husband, she taught |
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preschool for 14 years; in addition, she led preschool Sunday |
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school training conferences and vacation Bible school clinics in |
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Texas, Oklahoma, and California, and she later developed preschool |
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Sunday school curriculum for the Southern Baptist Convention; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Coker was also a dedicated supporter of the |
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Susan G. Komen Foundation Race for the Cure in Waco, and through the |
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years of her involvement, she recruited team members, worked with |
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corporate sponsors, and co-chaired survivor celebration events; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In all of her endeavors, Ms. Coker was supported by a |
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loving family that included her husband, David, her son, Jeff, and |
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her daughter, Allison; and |
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WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known Gail Coker will |
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forever treasure their memories of this dynamic woman, whose faith |
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and dedication to others made a positive difference in the lives of |
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countless individuals; 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 Gail Coker and extend |
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deepest sympathy to the members of her family: to her husband, David |
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Coker; to her son, Jeff Coker; to her daughter, Allison Harvey, and |
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her husband, Brian; to her grandson, James Harvey; to her brother, |
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Donald Jamison, and his wife, Priscilla; to her sister, Jo Ann |
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Webster, and her husband, Ed; and to her other relatives and many |
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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 Gail Coker. |