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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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death of Mary Virginia Parr of Robstown on May 12, 2015, at the age |
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of 96; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Mary Virginia Sloane was born in Estill, |
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Mississippi, on July 22, 1918, to Albert Sloane and Virginia |
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Adeline Meadow; when she was 10, her father died, and the family |
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moved to Texas and settled in West Sinton in San Patricio County; |
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after graduating from Sinton High School in 1934, she attended Mary |
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Hardin-Baylor College for two years, earning a teaching certificate |
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at age 18; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Sloane returned to her alma mater in West Sinton |
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to teach English and Spanish and coach girls' basketball and |
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tennis; during the summers, she continued her education at the |
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University of Mississippi and the Texas College of Arts and |
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Industries, earning a master's degree in English and Spanish; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1940, she exchanged vows with W. Robert Parr of |
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Robstown, beginning a marriage that ultimately spanned 70 years |
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before Mr. Parr passed away in 2011; the couple became the parents |
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of three children, Robert, Earl, and Sylvia, and with the passing |
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decades, the family grew to include two additional generations; and |
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WHEREAS, During World War II, Mrs. Parr worked as a teacher |
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and managed her husband's farm until he returned from his military |
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service in 1945; after the war, the couple founded the Parr Block |
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Company in Corpus Christi and operated it for four decades, and |
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Mrs. Parr continued to teach occasionally in Robstown; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her life, this caring individual was |
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active in her community, attending First United Methodist Church |
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and helping to found the Robstown Garden Club; she took delight in |
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fishing, gardening, and playing bridge, as well as flower arranging |
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and needlework; and |
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WHEREAS, Mary Parr was an energetic and independent woman who |
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established a legacy of strength, courage, and deep compassion for |
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others that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved |
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her; now, 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 life of Mary Virginia Parr and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of her family: to her |
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sons, Robert Parr and his wife, Dilek, and Earl Parr; to her |
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daughter, Sylvia Parr Harding; to her grandchildren, Aysel Heckel, |
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Tesha Soloman, Robbie Parr, Shelia Cann, Jeremy Parr, Alyne |
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Harding, and Nikki Parr; to her great-grandchildren, Ayse, Shenia, |
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and Sean Heckel, Alev Parr, Liam Parr, Joshua Parr, Evan Parr, |
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Violet Cann, Stella Cann, Virginia Lorelei Harding, and Richard |
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Bryce Grant III; and to her other relatives and friends; and, be it |
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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 Mary |
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Virginia Parr. |