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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 is truly |
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cause for celebration, and Johnie Mae Gillespie Anderson of Dallas |
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is celebrating this momentous milestone in her life on January 29, |
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2017; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in the Silver Hills community of Bryan in 1917, |
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the former Johnie Mae Gillespie is the daughter of John and Gertrude |
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Holston-Gillespie; she attended school in Brazos County before |
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leaving to help support her family; over the years, she worked in |
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the cotton fields and held jobs in a cannery, a winery, a hospital |
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in California, and the Blue Moon Café in Dallas; before her |
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retirement, she was employed in domestic service; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Anderson is the treasured matriarch of a fine |
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family that has grown to include 6 children, 14 grandchildren, 24 |
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great-grandchildren, 23 great-great-grandchildren, and a |
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great-great-great-grandchild; when her offspring were young, she |
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was active in the PTA, and she was one of the first mothers to walk |
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the March of Dimes fund-raising campaign; and |
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WHEREAS, For 52 years, Mrs. Anderson was a valued member of |
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Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, and she served the |
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congregation in numerous capacities, among them Sunday school |
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teacher, Baptist Training Union teacher, Junior Mission vice |
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president, food bank volunteer, Junior Choir advisor, and Senior |
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Mission and Mission Chorus member; and |
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WHEREAS, Johnie Mae Anderson has witnessed seismic change |
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over the course of a historic century, and in 2008, she was proud to |
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vote for the nation's first African American president; she is |
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being honored as a venerable native of Brazos County by the Brazos |
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Valley African American Museum, and having met life's challenges |
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with resilience, grace, and determination, she has earned the deep |
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admiration of all who are privileged to know her; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Johnie Mae Gillespie Anderson on |
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the occasion of her 100th birthday and extend to her sincere best |
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wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mrs. Anderson as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |