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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 481
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In Memory |
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of |
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Janice Evelyn Christensen May |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the life of Janice Evelyn Christensen May, who died |
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July 10, 2016, at the age of 93; and |
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WHEREAS, Janice May was born May 29, 1923, in Walnut Grove, |
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Minnesota, to Arnold Christensen and Bernice Schauer Christensen; |
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she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in music from the |
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University of Minnesota and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa before |
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continuing her studies and earning master's and doctoral degrees in |
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political science; and |
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WHEREAS, She joined the faculty at The University of Texas |
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at Austin in 1965 and enjoyed a long and illustrious career as an |
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educator and mentor in the Government Department; she served as |
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the department's pre-law advisor and internship coordinator and |
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was a charter member of the Southwest Association of PreLaw |
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Advisors; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. May was recognized as the foremost expert on |
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the sprawling, 93,000-word Texas Constitution; several generations |
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of legislators, lobbyists, and scholars sought her out for her |
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expertise in the ways the document has evolved over time and its |
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interpretations by the state's courts; and |
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WHEREAS, She was the author of The Texas State Constitution: |
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A Reference Guide, the coauthor of two editions of a Texas |
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government textbook, and the author or coauthor of five other books |
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and 50 journal articles, book chapters, and reference articles, and |
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she was in high demand as a speaker for conferences and as a |
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consultant for the governing bodies of other states involved in |
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amending their constitutions; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. May was active in a number of professional and |
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civic organizations, notably the League of Women Voters, for |
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which she served on the board of the national organization and as |
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president of the local chapter; she was also a longtime member of |
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the American Association of University Women and an election |
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observer for ABC News; and |
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WHEREAS, She married the late Francis Barnes May in 1956, |
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and the couple enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage together; |
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they took great pleasure in classical music and the opera and |
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traveled the world to such destinations as France, the Soviet |
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Union, and China; and |
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WHEREAS, A woman of courage, strength, and compassion, she |
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gave generously to others, and her wisdom, her perseverance, and |
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her enthusiasm for scholarship and learning will long be remembered |
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by all those whose lives she touched; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Janice Evelyn Christensen May; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Janice Evelyn Christensen May. |
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Watson |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 22, 2017, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |