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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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passing of Barbara Ruth Mize Abbott of Longview on April 9, 2025, at |
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the age of 77; and |
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WHEREAS, The daughter of Thomas and Alice Willis, the former |
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Barbara Willis was born in Lindale on February 12, 1948, and she |
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grew up in the Wood County area with the companionship of eight |
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siblings, Frank, Jessie, Marie, Joe, Earnest, Odessa, Joyce Ann, |
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and Dale; and |
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WHEREAS, She married K. T. Mize Jr. on October 9, 1965, and |
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the couple shared a fulfilling union that spanned 42 years until his |
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passing in 2008; fortunate enough to find love again, she wed Frank |
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Abbott Sr. on May 21, 2011; she took great pride in her four |
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children, Tony, Corey, Keenan, and Jennifer, and her three |
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stepsons, David, Preston, and Frank, and through the years, she had |
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the pleasure of seeing her treasured family grow to include 11 |
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grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; she cherished the time |
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she spent with her loved ones above all else; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1982, Mrs. Abbott cofounded Longview Lawn & |
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Garden Equipment with her first husband, and two of her sons have |
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since assumed its ownership; a woman of strong faith, she was a |
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valued member of Saint Andrew Presbyterian Church; in her leisure |
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hours, she enjoyed hosting game nights, baking, fishing, and |
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camping, and she also delighted in bird-watching and tending to her |
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garden; and |
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WHEREAS, Although she is deeply missed, the passage of time |
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will never diminish the joy and love that Barbara Abbott brought |
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into the lives of all who knew her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature, 1st |
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Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Barbara Ruth |
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Mize Abbott and extend sincere condolences to the members of her |
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family: to her husband, Frank Abbott Sr.; to her children, Tony Mize |
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and his wife, Lisa, Corey Mize and his wife, Beverly, Keenan Mize |
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and his wife, Traci, and Jennifer Johnson and her husband, David; to |
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her stepsons, David Abbott and his wife, Ann, Preston Abbott and his |
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wife, Susan, and Frank Abbott Jr. and his wife, Susan; to her |
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siblings, Odessa Willis Belcher, Joyce Ann Willis Bullard, and Dale |
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Willis and his wife, Patsy; to her grandchildren, Kimberly Mize |
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Williams and her husband, Alex, Kristina Mize Dorsey and her |
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husband, Rickey, Kacie Mize Spurr and her husband, Robbie, Dakota |
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Mize and his wife, Mariana, Montana Mize and his wife, Shaynee, |
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Nathan Mize and his wife, Tori, Lauren Mize, Tye Johnson, Kayla |
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Bradshaw, Casey Gunn, and Madison Schreiber; to her |
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great-grandchildren; and to her other relatives and friends; and, |
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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 this |
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day, it do so in memory of Barbara Abbott. |