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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close with the |
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passing of Bernice Jones Washington on November 11, 2023, at the age |
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of 73; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Sarah Blacksher Jones and James |
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Jones, the former Bernice Jones was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, |
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on November 16, 1949; she earned her bachelor's degree in |
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microbiology and medical technology from Southern University in |
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Baton Rouge, where she joined the Beta Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa |
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Alpha Sorority; after completing her MBA at the University of |
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Missouri-Kansas City, she married her college sweetheart, Lymon |
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Washington Jr., in 1973; they became the proud parents of two |
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children, Andrea Renee and Michael Benjamin; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Washington was employed by Bayer Healthcare |
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for 38 years; known for her ability to connect with people both |
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professionally and personally, she excelled as a regional marketing |
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manager; later, she became owner and CEO of Urgent Care clinics and |
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president and CEO of BJW Consulting Group, a motivational speaker |
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company; she addressed audiences across the United States and |
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abroad, and she offered commentary on national TV and in such |
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publications as Southern Living and Jet; and |
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WHEREAS, Admired as a force of nature, Mrs. Washington was a |
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member of the boards of more than six dozen organizations, among |
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them the DFW Airport Board, the Regional Transportation Council of |
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North Texas, and the Texas Healthcare Trustees; she served as |
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president of the board of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of |
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Plano; in addition, she was a member of the Plano North Metroplex |
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Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, for a quarter century; she |
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volunteered and raised funds for Southern University, the NAACP, |
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the Leadership Texas Alumnae Association, and local and national |
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political campaigns; engaged in civil and human rights activism as |
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well, she fought anti-Semitism, homophobia, and discrimination |
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against women; she also held leadership roles at St. Luke Community |
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United Methodist Church, and she was instrumental in establishing |
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the Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Community Outreach Center; and |
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WHEREAS, Bernice Jones Washington made a lasting, positive |
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difference through her wide-ranging contributions, and those she |
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left behind will forever treasure their memories of her vibrant |
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personality and tremendous kindness; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Bernice Jones Washington and extend sincere condolences to the |
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members of her family: to her husband, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) |
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Lymon Washington Jr.; to her children, Andrea Renee Wallace and her |
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husband, James, and Michael Benjamin Washington; to her |
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grandchildren, Alexander James and Adriana Sloan Wallace; to her |
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siblings, Dorothy Jones Williams and her husband, Roy, Billy George |
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Jones, and McKinley Young; to her best friend, Wilma "Teen" Flucas; |
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and to her many other relatives and 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 Bernice |
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Jones Washington. |