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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 735
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In Memory |
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of |
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Vatra Grace Solomon |
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost an admired public servant |
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with the passing of Vatra Grace Solomon of Mount Pleasant on |
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May 22, 2018, at the age of 71; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of former state representative Neal |
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Solomon and Barbara Connelly Solomon, Vatra Solomon was born in |
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Commerce on October 3, 1946, and grew up with a sister, Nila, and |
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a brother, Jim; she graduated from Mount Vernon High School and |
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completed her bachelor's degree in elementary education and |
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music at East Texas State University; early in her career, she |
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taught in Dallas and Mount Vernon and worked for the Texas State |
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Teachers Association; she went on to join her father's insurance |
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business and opened Solomon Insurance in Mount Pleasant in |
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1983; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Solomon joined Bill Ratliff's successful |
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campaign for the state senate in 1988 and then became his |
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executive assistant in Austin and Mount Pleasant; she continued |
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to serve in his office after he became lieutenant governor in |
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2001, and his predecessor, Bob Bullock, fondly deemed her "strong |
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as horseradish" in her role as gatekeeper; always kind and |
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gracious, she was a confidant to public officials and fellow |
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staffers alike, and the counsel she offered freely was both frank |
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and wise; she advocated for teachers and set an inspiring example |
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through her commitment to the greater good of the Lone Star |
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State; in 2001, she received the inaugural Betty King Award for |
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Legislative Staff Service; and |
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WHEREAS, Following Lieutenant Governor Ratliff's retirement, |
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Ms. Solomon served as East Texas outreach coordinator for |
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then-state comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn; she later joined |
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Eric Wright & Associates, a government relations consulting |
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firm; over the years, she served as president of the chambers of |
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commerce in both Mount Vernon and Mount Pleasant, and she was |
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appointed by Governor Mark White to the Sulphur River Basin |
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Authority; and |
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WHEREAS, Vatra Solomon lived a caring and purposeful life |
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dedicated to the well-being of her fellow Texans, and she will be |
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remembered with deep admiration and affection by all who were |
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fortunate enough to know her; 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 memory of Vatra Grace |
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Solomon 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 Vatra Grace Solomon. |
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Hughes, Hinojosa, |
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Seliger, Watson, |
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West, Whitmire, |
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Zaffirini |
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____________________________________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate |
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____________________________________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate |
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____________________________________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate |
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______________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |
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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 May 13, 2019, by a |
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rising vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |