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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 626
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In Memory |
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of |
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Virginia Nancy Birt Baker |
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WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close with |
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the passing of Virginia Nancy Birt Baker on January 20, 2019, at |
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the age of 89; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Ginny Birt was born on August 22, 1929, |
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in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Gladys and Charles Birt, and she |
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grew up with the companionship of a sister, Catherine; she moved |
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with her family to Texas at age 10 and went on to attend Highland |
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Park High School and Southern Methodist University, where she |
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graduated with a degree in interior design; and |
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WHEREAS, Seeking an opportunity to see the world, she |
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traveled to Europe to work as a civilian for the United States |
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Army and met her future husband, Charles "Chet" Baker, while in |
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Gelnhausen, Germany; the couple wed in 1956, and over the course |
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of a rewarding marriage that spanned 62 years, they became the |
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parents of four treasured children, Juliette, Christopher, |
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Nancy, and Matthew; later in life, Mrs. Baker was affectionately |
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known as "Grammar" to her 19 grandchildren and 13 |
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great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1960s, Mrs. Baker served as the textbooks |
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chair for the Daughters of the American Revolution, a role in |
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which she evaluated public school textbooks and testified |
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numerous times before the State Textbook Committee; out of a |
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strong desire to ensure that their children received a quality |
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education, she and Mr. Baker decided to homeschool, and with the |
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financial support and encouragement of her husband, Mrs. Baker |
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became a tireless advocate for that method of instruction, |
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publishing Teaching Your Children at Home, one of the first |
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manuals for parents; in addition, she spoke at homeschool |
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seminars and conferences in many states, wrote for national |
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homeschool publications, testified on behalf of home education |
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on numerous occasions, and was well-known for compiling a leaflet |
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titled You Ask Me Why?, which was distributed to tens of |
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thousands of legislators, parents, and educators across the |
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nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Mrs. Baker received several |
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notable honors, including Trailblazers Awards from the Texas |
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Home Educators and the Pioneer Award and the Taking a Stand in |
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Texas award from the Texas Home School Coalition; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Baker was also active with the Reading |
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Reform Foundation and was a frequent speaker at its seminars; she |
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was a longtime member of such societies as the Magna Charta |
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Dames, the Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America, and the |
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Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims, and her research and writing |
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covered genealogy, politics, history, and biblical studies; and |
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WHEREAS, Ginny Baker generously shared her time, |
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knowledge, and expertise in her quest to empower parents to make |
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the best decisions for their children's education, and she will |
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forever be remembered with deep admiration and affection by her |
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loved ones and by those whose lives were touched by her work; now, |
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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 memory of Virginia Nancy |
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Birt Baker and extend heartfelt sympathy to her relatives and |
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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 Senate adjourns |
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this day, it do so in memory of Ginny Baker. |
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Hughes |
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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 April 25, 2019, 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 |