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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The West community lost one of its most admired |
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citizens with the passing of Mary Elizabeth "Mimi" Irwin, owner of |
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the Village Bakery, on March 4, 2019, at the age of 74; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Mary Elizabeth Montgomery was born on |
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August 9, 1944, to Wendel and Georgia Montgomery; known as "Mimi" |
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since childhood, she grew up in a family that was deeply engaged in |
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both Czech culture and entrepreneurship, with her mother's family |
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owning the Famous Dry Goods, later known as the Village Shoppe, and |
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her father owning the Old Corner Drug Store; her parents joined |
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together to establish the Village Bakery in 1952, and while they |
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built the business, Mimi completed her schooling at St. Mary's |
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Catholic School, West High School, and The University of Texas at |
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Austin, where she graduated with honors; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Irwin went on to establish a career in retail |
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merchandising at Foley's in Houston; she rose through the ranks to |
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become a vice president of Federated Department Stores, now Macy's, |
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Inc., and resided in New York City for 25 years; although her work |
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took her all over the world, she always held a special place in her |
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heart for West; after her father died in 2003, she returned home |
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from Manhattan and took over the Village Bakery; her natural |
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business sense helped her guide the enterprise into a new era of |
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success while maintaining its Czech heritage and family traditions; |
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along the way, she stayed active in the fashion industry through her |
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consulting company, Gramercy Associates; and |
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WHEREAS, A respected and dedicated member of her community, |
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Ms. Irwin served as a director of the Kiwanis Club of West, helped |
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establish the West Museum, and supported Westfest, the annual Czech |
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celebration cofounded by her parents in the 1970s; passionate about |
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volunteer work and historic preservation, she was a member of the |
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board for the Brazos Forum and the Historic Waco Foundation as well |
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as a member of the McLennan County Historic Commission and the |
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standing committee of the W. R. Poage Legislative Library at Baylor |
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University; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Mimi Irwin set an inspiring |
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example of civic engagement and professional achievement, and her |
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legacy will long be cherished by those who were blessed to share in |
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her love and friendship; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Mary Elizabeth |
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Irwin and extend deepest sympathy to the members of her family: to |
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her aunt, Gladys Quilter; to her cousins, Patti Arms and her |
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husband, Geoff, John M. Price and his wife, Brenda, and Suzy Price; |
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to her extended cousins, Lauren Beck and her husband, Chris, and |
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their children, John T. Price and his wife, Rachel, and their |
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children, and Austin Price and his wife, Sarah; and to her other |
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relatives and many 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 Mimi Irwin. |