Bill Text: TX SR555 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Barbara Ann Kazen.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-17 - Reported enrolled [SR555 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SR555-Enrolled.html
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In Memory | ||
of | ||
Barbara Ann Kazen | ||
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the | ||
citizens of Laredo in mourning the loss of noted philanthropist | ||
and civic leader Barbara Ann Kazen, who died March 15, 2011, at | ||
the age of 70; and | ||
WHEREAS, She was born Barbara Ann Sanders in Abilene on | ||
January 3, 1941; she attended Texas Christian University and The | ||
University of Texas at Austin, where she met her future husband, | ||
George P. Kazen; they were married in Abilene on October 27, | ||
1961; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mrs. Kazen was a highly respected citizen and | ||
longtime leader in the Laredo community; she was renowned for her | ||
impeccable character, her passion for helping others, and her | ||
dedication to humanitarian work; she focused much of her time on | ||
working to improve public health, beginning in the 1960s when she | ||
first joined the American Cancer Society and coordinated | ||
campaigns to spread information and raise funds for cancer | ||
research; and | ||
WHEREAS, She served in various roles as an auxiliary member | ||
of Mercy Regional Medical Center, now known as Laredo Medical | ||
Center; she coordinated the DARE program and served as its vice | ||
president and president; her work helped the hospital provide | ||
health care services for victims of domestic violence, persons | ||
addicted to drugs, and those who suffer from catastrophic | ||
illnesses; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mrs. Kazen had a long history of working to | ||
improve the conditions of the poor and otherwise disadvantaged; | ||
she served on the board of directors of the Texas Homeless | ||
Network and was a founding member and vice president of the | ||
Laredo Homeless Coalition; and | ||
WHEREAS, She was the founder of Bethany House of Laredo and | ||
served on its board of directors for more than 25 years and as its | ||
president since 1996; she worked tirelessly to expand its | ||
services to include an extensive soup kitchen operation, a | ||
shelter complex with a central clearinghouse for homeless and | ||
indigent services, and a store for clothing, linens, and | ||
furniture; and | ||
WHEREAS, She served on the board of directors of the United | ||
Way of Laredo and gave generously of her time and resources to | ||
improve the arts community; she was a lector and Eucharistic | ||
minister at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church; and | ||
WHEREAS, One of her more recent philanthropic efforts was | ||
the founding of the Laredo Area Community Foundation, on whose | ||
board she also served; the foundation acts as a catalyst in | ||
developing a permanent endowment to enable effective responses | ||
to community needs and to help coordinate the efforts of | ||
charitable organizations; and | ||
WHEREAS, Barbara Kazen was a member of the Society of | ||
Martha Washington and portrayed Martha Washington in 1989 at the | ||
organization's 50th anniversary celebration; she has received | ||
numerous awards over the years for her outstanding service to her | ||
community; and | ||
WHEREAS, She received many honors over the course of her | ||
life; she was named Woman of the Year by the Catholic War Veterans | ||
and Tejano Achiever by the League of United Latin American | ||
Citizens; she received the Service Above Self Award from the | ||
Laredo Rotary Club and was named to the Laredo Commission for | ||
Women's Hall of Fame; she was selected the 2010 Outstanding Texas | ||
Local Leader by the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute | ||
Annual Forum; and | ||
WHEREAS, Barbara Kazen was a gracious and generous woman | ||
who has left an indelible imprint in the Laredo community, and | ||
she will long be remembered by the scores of people whose lives | ||
she touched; her many friends and her devoted family will | ||
treasure forever their memories of the beloved wife, devoted | ||
mother, and loving grandmother who blessed their lives; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd | ||
Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved | ||
family of Barbara Ann Kazen: her husband, United States District | ||
Court Judge George P. Kazen; her sons and daughters-in-law, | ||
George and Mary Kazen, John and Hayley Kazen, and Gregory and | ||
Marcinda Kazen; her daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and | ||
Michael Flores; her brother, James Lee Sanders; her sisters, | ||
Judith Compton and Virginia "Bitsy" Dotin; and her nine | ||
grandchildren; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for | ||
her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas | ||
Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in | ||
memory of Barbara Ann Kazen. | ||
Zaffirini | ||
________________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on March 17, 2011, by a | ||
rising vote. | ||
________________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate |