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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 106
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In Memory |
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of |
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Dionne Phillips Bagsby |
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WHEREAS, Tarrant County lost a trailblazing public servant |
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with the death of former county commissioner Dionne Phillips |
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Bagsby on January 10, 2019, at the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Paul William Phillips and Ann |
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Wicks Phillips, the former Dionne Phillips was born in Phoenix, |
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Illinois; she graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University and |
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went on to earn speech pathology certification from George |
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Peabody College for Teachers and a master's degree from Texas |
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Christian University; following her marriage to James A. Bagsby, |
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she became the mother of two treasured children, Dionne and |
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James, and with the passing years, her life was further enriched |
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by her four grandchildren, Kirbe, Kelli, Josiah, and Elijah, and |
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five step-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Bagsby joined the Fort Worth Independent |
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School District as a speech pathologist in the late 1960s, and |
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she played a key role in the peaceful integration of the |
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district; engaged in the broader community, she impressed other |
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activists with her tremendous skill and dedication, and they |
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urged her to run for office; she won election in 1988 as the |
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county's first female and first African American commissioner |
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and became the only African American woman to serve in that |
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office across the entire state; during her 16 years in that post, |
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she strove tirelessly to make government more inclusive, guiding |
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the appointment of women and minorities to county boards and |
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commissions and improving diversity in the workforce; she was a |
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tireless advocate for the most vulnerable members of society, |
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especially women and children, and through her leadership, the |
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county increased resources for education and women's shelters; |
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moreover, it decentralized hospital services to expand access to |
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health care, and it implemented a countywide immunization |
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program; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving government, Ms. Bagsby remained |
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very active in the community; she served on numerous boards over |
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the years, sharing her expertise with such organizations as the |
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Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the United Way of Tarrant County, |
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Jubilee Theater, and Baylor Scott and White All Saints Medical |
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Center; in addition, she was a regent of Stephen F. Austin State |
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University and Texas College; her myriad accolades included the |
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2018 High Impact Legacy Award from the Fort Worth Chamber of |
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Commerce, and both the county and the City of Crowley named |
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public buildings in her honor; Ms. Bagsby, however, never sought |
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credit for her accomplishments, and she advised the many people |
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she mentored to focus on results rather than acclaim; a popular |
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source of wise counsel, she could be relied upon to offer the |
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unvarnished truth, as well as kind encouragement; and |
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WHEREAS, Dionne Phillips Bagsby set an inspiring example |
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of selfless devotion to the greater good, and although she will |
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be deeply missed, her contributions will continue to resonate |
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powerfully in the years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Dionne Phillips |
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Bagsby and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn her |
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passing; 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 Senate adjourns |
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this day, it do so in memory of Dionne Phillips Bagsby. |
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Powell, Birdwell, |
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Hancock, Nelson |
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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 February 1, 2019, by |
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a 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 |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |