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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The death of Elna Ray Christopher of Austin on |
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April 25, 2023, at the age of 72, has deeply saddened the family and |
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friends of this admired woman; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Brownfield on October 5, 1950, Elna |
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Christopher was the daughter of Bertie Lee Daniell Christopher and |
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Willie Ray Christopher; after graduating from Brownfield High |
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School, she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism with a |
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concentration in criminal justice from Southern Methodist |
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University; she was employed as a reporter at the Delta |
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Democrat-Times in Greenville, Mississippi, and the Santa Fe |
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Reporter in New Mexico before joining the Dallas Morning News in |
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1977; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Christopher's career took a new trajectory in |
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1982, when Jim Mattox hired her as a press secretary during his run |
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for Texas attorney general; following his election, she served as |
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chief of public information during both of his terms, and she acted |
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as spokesperson for his subsequent gubernatorial campaign; from |
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1991 to 1992, she was a partner at Image Makers Advertising & Public |
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Relations; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning to state government in 1994, |
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Ms. Christopher became director of marketing and program |
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development in the Texas General Land Office; she was later named |
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director of outreach programs, and she was instrumental in the |
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creation, development, and marketing of the Adopt-A-Map program; in |
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2003, she was hired as director of media relations for the Texas |
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Association of Counties; over the next 13 years in that role, she |
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worked with a coalition of city and county organizations to help |
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strengthen local control; throughout her career, she was known for |
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her generosity, as well as her toughness; when she retired in 2016, |
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members of the press lauded her grace, skill, and professionalism; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Christopher shared a fulfilling marriage of |
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almost 25 years with Kevin Michael Kennedy until his death in 2013; |
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a woman of deep compassion, especially for members of the animal |
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kingdom, she loved horses, never missed a Triple Crown race series, |
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and took tender care of her two cats, Alfred and Satchel; her many |
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interests included movies, museums, fine dining, shopping at Neiman |
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Marcus, Major League Baseball, travel, historic Texas maps, and |
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music from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett to the Rolling Stones; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Elna Christopher will be greatly missed, |
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she has left her family and friends with a wealth of memories that |
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they will forever treasure; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Elna Ray |
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Christopher and that sincere sympathy be extended to the members of |
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her family: to her sister, Donna Christopher Ingham; to her nephew, |
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Christopher Young Ingham; and to her other relatives and many |
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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 House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Elna |
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Christopher. |