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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 100th birthday of an esteemed Texan truly merits |
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special recognition, and Kaye Blew of Athens marked this notable |
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milestone on January 30, 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Athens in 1913, the former Ratha Bell McKay |
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attended grade school in Modoc and high school in Athens; while at |
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Athens High, she was a guard for the Hornet Lassies basketball team, |
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which made history in 1930 as the only Athens team to win a state |
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championship; after graduation, she went on to play on a |
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semiprofessional team in Dallas called the Shoe Shop Girls; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Blew had trouble finding work in Dallas during |
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the Great Depression and returned to Athens to pick cotton; for the |
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Texas Centennial celebration in 1936, she worked at a souvenir |
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stand on the midway of the Dallas Fairgrounds, and a year later, she |
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found a position at the Pan American Games; through these jobs, she |
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enjoyed meeting people from around the world; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1938, she married Charles Raymond Belding, and |
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the couple were blessed with three daughters, Robyn, Rayna, and |
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Judy; Mr. and Mrs. Belding shared nearly five decades together |
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before Mr. Belding passed away in 1984; fortunate enough to find |
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love again, she married her high school sweetheart, Tom Hubbard, in |
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1988, and they enjoyed many happy years before his death; in 2003, |
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at the age of 90, she married James Blew, and although he passed |
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away later that same year, their brief time together remains a |
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source of many fond memories; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Mrs. Blew continues to enjoy gardening and |
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has recently begun to take painting lessons; civically engaged, she |
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has volunteered for many campaigns, has worked the polls, and has |
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voted in every election since she came of age; when asked the secret |
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to her longevity, she cites the hard work of her youth, physical |
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activity such as waterskiing 36 miles a day well into her 70s, and |
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the abundance of love she has experienced as the matriarch of a |
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family that has grown to include grandchildren, |
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great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Over her many decades of life, Kaye Blew has earned |
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the admiration and affection of all who are privileged to know her, |
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and it is indeed a pleasure to honor this remarkable centenarian; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Kaye Blew on her 100th birthday and |
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extend to her sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Blew as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |