Bill Text: TX HR216 | 2017 | 85th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: In memory of Suzanne Coleman of Austin.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-08-10 - Reported enrolled [HR216 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HR216-Introduced.html
Bill Title: In memory of Suzanne Coleman of Austin.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-08-10 - Reported enrolled [HR216 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HR216-Introduced.html
85S11828 BPG-D | ||
By: Hinojosa | H.R. No. 216 |
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WHEREAS, A life lived with kindness and purpose drew to a | ||
close with the passing of noted speechwriter Suzanne Coleman of | ||
Austin on July 13, 2017, at the age of 70; and | ||
WHEREAS, The daughter of William Clovis Coleman and Amelia | ||
Lary Coleman, Suzanne Coleman was born in Fort Worth on December 24, | ||
1946; she graduated from Paschal High School and completed her | ||
bachelor's degree in political science and history at Texas | ||
Christian University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta; | ||
subsequently, she earned a master's degree in political science | ||
from The University of Texas at Arlington and pursued doctoral | ||
studies at Rice University, but she left academia to volunteer in | ||
the gubernatorial primary campaign of Frances Tarlton "Sissy" | ||
Farenthold; and | ||
WHEREAS, Ms. Coleman forged a remarkable career in politics, | ||
employing her skill as a wordsmith to support enduring democratic | ||
values; she gained wide recognition as chief speechwriter for Ann | ||
W. Richards, channeling the charismatic governor's bold, witty | ||
speaking style and helping elevate simple stories from everyday | ||
life into moving commentary that evoked a sense of community; | ||
empathetic as well as eloquent, she was equally adept at crafting | ||
the penetrating one-liner and gracefully revealing the sentimental | ||
streak that she and the governor shared; those for whom she wrote | ||
also included two University of Texas System officials, chancellor | ||
Mark G. Yudof and executive vice chancellor for health affairs | ||
Dr. Kenneth Shine; and | ||
WHEREAS, The devoted partner of Mary Jane Leahy, whom she met | ||
in 1989, Ms. Coleman relished their trips to New Mexico and their | ||
political discussions, the latter not least when they took place | ||
over a special and lengthy meal; and | ||
WHEREAS, Suzanne Coleman created a powerful legacy through | ||
her words, all chosen with the utmost care, and those she has left | ||
behind will forever cherish their memories of her wisdom, | ||
integrity, thoughtfulness, and wonderfully wry sense of humor; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas | ||
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of | ||
Suzanne Coleman and extend sincere condolences to the members of | ||
her family: to her partner, Mary Jane Leahy; to her cousins, Mary | ||
Land, Melinda Lary-Smith, Lee Ann O'Loughlin, and Amelia Ann Kerby | ||
Haltom and her son, Kerby; to her treasured friend, Mimi Purnell; | ||
and to all those who mourn her passing; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of | ||
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Suzanne | ||
Coleman. |