85R34219 BPG-D
 
  By: Kacal H.R. No. 2661
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Residents of Bremond were deeply saddened by the
  death of civic leader and Bremond Press publisher Betty Yezak on
  July 24, 2016, at the age of 90; and
         WHEREAS, Born near Wheelock on December 20, 1925, the former
  Elizabeth Adele Supak was the youngest of the six children of
  sharecroppers Thomas and Louise Supak; her grandparents were Czech
  immigrants, and she spoke English as her second language when she
  started school; after graduating from Franklin High School, she
  became the first member of her family to attend college, with
  financial help from her older sister; she worked as a grill cook at
  the student union while completing her bachelor's degree in English
  at Texas State College for Women, and during World War II, she held
  a summer job as a forklift operator at a bomb factory in McGregor;
  and
         WHEREAS, She began teaching high school English in
  Pleasanton, and her brother introduced her to his boss, then-State
  Representative Herman Yezak; the couple married at St. Mary's
  Catholic Church in Bremond on October 5, 1949, and they were blessed
  with two daughters, Patricia "Pisha" and Jennifer, and two sons,
  Robert and George; while her children were young, Mrs. Yezak
  supported them in many extracurricular activities; she became an
  ardent fan of the Bremond Tigers, and in 61 years she attended every
  regular season football game and missed only four playoff games;
  and
         WHEREAS, At the end of the 1950s, the Yezaks purchased the
  weekly Bremond Press, and following her husband's death in 1986,
  Mrs. Yezak continued to lead it, with increasing help from her son,
  George; she wrote a column, "The B.Y. Line," in every edition for 29
  years, sharing her observations and, in keeping with her iron
  commitment to the First Amendment, sometimes rankling certain
  readers with her strongly held opinions; she also worked from 1957
  to 1971 as a Star Route mail carrier and loved getting to know and
  assist all manner of people along Route 3; subsequently, she served
  for eight years as a Child Protective Services worker in Franklin,
  and following the death of her husband, she completed his term as
  justice of the peace for Robertson County Precinct 4; in addition,
  she raised cattle with her son George; and
         WHEREAS, A devout Catholic, Mrs. Yezak was a CYO sponsor, CCD
  teacher, bazaar volunteer, and lector at St. Mary's; she served the
  wider community as a member of the Bremond Chamber of Commerce and
  of the committee that launched the Polish Day festival in 1988;
  moreover, she was the Democratic Party precinct chair and an
  election worker for many years; and
         WHEREAS, Mrs. Yezak took great pride in her seven
  grandchildren, Eliot, Job, Kie, Menzie, Jackson, Todd, and Yancie,
  and her great-granddaughter, Georgia; she enjoyed watching Texas
  A&M and Dallas Cowboys football games, going out to eat, playing 42
  dominos, doing crosswords, and following current events with MSNBC,
  CNN, the Waco Tribune-Herald, The Eagle, and the Dallas Morning
  News; moreover, she liked to mow the yard, check on the cows, and
  take care of her four cats, Scrap, Smug, T-Face, and Yellowneck, as
  well as her "part-time yard dog," Clyde, whose owner, Tinka Hopcus,
  was a dear neighbor; and
         WHEREAS, Betty Yezak made a positive difference in her
  beloved community, and although she is sadly missed by her family,
  her friends, and her loyal readers, those who were privileged to
  know her will forever remember her warmth, enthusiasm, and profound
  sense of community; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Betty Yezak and extend
  sincere condolences to all who mourn her passing; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
  prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
  Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Betty
  Yezak.