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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 Mamie Strieber Shepperd of Gladewater on January 9, |
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2015, at the age of 97; and |
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WHEREAS, A lifelong Texan, the former Mamie Erna Strieber was |
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born in Yorktown on December 30, 1917, to Louis and Mamie Strieber; |
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she graduated as valedictorian of her class, and after attending |
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Our Lady of the Lake College, she transferred to The University of |
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Texas at Austin; while completing her bachelor's degree in |
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journalism, she met the love of her life, John Ben Shepperd, and |
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they married on October 6, 1938; and |
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WHEREAS, The couple settled in Gladewater, Mr. Shepperd's |
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hometown, until his appointment as Texas secretary of state in 1950 |
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prompted their relocation to Austin; he was subsequently elected |
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state attorney general, and Mrs. Shepperd provided valuable |
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support for his endeavors while devoting herself to their four |
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children, John Ben, Marianne, Alfred, and Suzanne; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1957, the family moved to Odessa, and |
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Mrs. Shepperd became very engaged in politics, taking local and |
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state leadership roles in the Democratic Party; she was chair of the |
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Ladies for Lyndon West Texas committee during Lyndon Johnson's 1964 |
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presidential campaign, and she accompanied Lady Bird Johnson on a |
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whistle-stop tour through eight southern states; moreover, she |
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joined forces with her husband to help establish The University of |
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Texas at Permian Basin and modernize the Texas Historical |
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Commission, and she gave generously of her time and talents to a |
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host of civic endeavors; she founded the Odessa Friendship |
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Investment Club, a women's group, and became a savvy investor; and |
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WHEREAS, The Shepperds spent much of their time on the family |
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ranch in Gladewater, and Mrs. Shepperd oversaw the restoration of |
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historic buildings on the property; following the death of her |
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husband in 1990, she made her home there, and she was a dedicated |
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steward of the land; she planted many acres of pine trees, and, |
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undaunted by the wildfires of 2011, she duly reforested the charred |
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ground; she was a member of the Gladewater Historical Museum and the |
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Lee Public Library, and she loved to read, play bridge, and follow |
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the stock market; and |
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WHEREAS, While the death of Mamie Shepperd brings great |
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sadness to her family and friends, she leaves behind a legacy that |
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will forever be treasured by all those who held her dear; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Mamie Strieber |
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Shepperd and extend sincere condolences to the members of her |
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family: to her children, Alfred Shepperd and his wife, Honey, and |
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Suzanne McIntosh and her husband, Gary; to her grandchildren, John |
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Shepperd, Kathryn Shepperd Martinez and her husband, Jake, Tina |
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Stansbury and her husband, Dan, Mari Parker and her husband, Scott, |
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Lara Frankovitch and her husband, Joe, Clint McCarver and his wife, |
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Ginna, Anne Hicks, Clint Morse and his wife, Diana, and Stephen |
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Morse and his wife, Grace; to her 20 great-grandchildren; and to her |
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many other 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 Mamie |
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Strieber Shepperd. |