Bill Text: TX SR106 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Dionne Phillips Bagsby.
Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2019-02-01 - Reported enrolled [SR106 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SR106-Enrolled.html
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| In Memory | ||
| of | ||
| Dionne Phillips Bagsby | ||
| WHEREAS, Tarrant County lost a trailblazing public servant | ||
| with the death of former county commissioner Dionne Phillips | ||
| Bagsby on January 10, 2019, at the age of 82; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The daughter of Paul William Phillips and Ann | ||
| Wicks Phillips, the former Dionne Phillips was born in Phoenix, | ||
| Illinois; she graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University and | ||
| went on to earn speech pathology certification from George | ||
| Peabody College for Teachers and a master's degree from Texas | ||
| Christian University; following her marriage to James A. Bagsby, | ||
| she became the mother of two treasured children, Dionne and | ||
| James, and with the passing years, her life was further enriched | ||
| by her four grandchildren, Kirbe, Kelli, Josiah, and Elijah, and | ||
| five step-grandchildren; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Ms. Bagsby joined the Fort Worth Independent | ||
| School District as a speech pathologist in the late 1960s, and | ||
| she played a key role in the peaceful integration of the | ||
| district; engaged in the broader community, she impressed other | ||
| activists with her tremendous skill and dedication, and they | ||
| urged her to run for office; she won election in 1988 as the | ||
| county's first female and first African American commissioner | ||
| and became the only African American woman to serve in that | ||
| office across the entire state; during her 16 years in that post, | ||
| she strove tirelessly to make government more inclusive, guiding | ||
| the appointment of women and minorities to county boards and | ||
| commissions and improving diversity in the workforce; she was a | ||
| tireless advocate for the most vulnerable members of society, | ||
| especially women and children, and through her leadership, the | ||
| county increased resources for education and women's shelters; | ||
| moreover, it decentralized hospital services to expand access to | ||
| health care, and it implemented a countywide immunization | ||
| program; and | ||
| WHEREAS, After leaving government, Ms. Bagsby remained | ||
| very active in the community; she served on numerous boards over | ||
| the years, sharing her expertise with such organizations as the | ||
| Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the United Way of Tarrant County, | ||
| Jubilee Theater, and Baylor Scott and White All Saints Medical | ||
| Center; in addition, she was a regent of Stephen F. Austin State | ||
| University and Texas College; her myriad accolades included the | ||
| 2018 High Impact Legacy Award from the Fort Worth Chamber of | ||
| Commerce, and both the county and the City of Crowley named | ||
| public buildings in her honor; Ms. Bagsby, however, never sought | ||
| credit for her accomplishments, and she advised the many people | ||
| she mentored to focus on results rather than acclaim; a popular | ||
| source of wise counsel, she could be relied upon to offer the | ||
| unvarnished truth, as well as kind encouragement; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Dionne Phillips Bagsby set an inspiring example | ||
| of selfless devotion to the greater good, and although she will | ||
| be deeply missed, her contributions will continue to resonate | ||
| powerfully in the years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th | ||
| Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Dionne Phillips | ||
| Bagsby and extend sincere condolences to all 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 Senate adjourns | ||
| this day, it do so in memory of Dionne Phillips Bagsby. | ||
| Powell, Birdwell, | ||
| Hancock, Nelson | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| President of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that the | ||
| above Resolution was adopted by | ||
| the Senate on February 1, 2019, by | ||
| a rising vote. | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
