Bill Text: TX SR735 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Vatra Grace Solomon.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)
Status: (Passed) 2019-05-13 - Reported enrolled [SR735 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SR735-Enrolled.html
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In Memory | ||
of | ||
Vatra Grace Solomon | ||
WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost an admired public servant | ||
with the passing of Vatra Grace Solomon of Mount Pleasant on | ||
May 22, 2018, at the age of 71; and | ||
WHEREAS, The daughter of former state representative Neal | ||
Solomon and Barbara Connelly Solomon, Vatra Solomon was born in | ||
Commerce on October 3, 1946, and grew up with a sister, Nila, and | ||
a brother, Jim; she graduated from Mount Vernon High School and | ||
completed her bachelor's degree in elementary education and | ||
music at East Texas State University; early in her career, she | ||
taught in Dallas and Mount Vernon and worked for the Texas State | ||
Teachers Association; she went on to join her father's insurance | ||
business and opened Solomon Insurance in Mount Pleasant in | ||
1983; and | ||
WHEREAS, Ms. Solomon joined Bill Ratliff's successful | ||
campaign for the state senate in 1988 and then became his | ||
executive assistant in Austin and Mount Pleasant; she continued | ||
to serve in his office after he became lieutenant governor in | ||
2001, and his predecessor, Bob Bullock, fondly deemed her "strong | ||
as horseradish" in her role as gatekeeper; always kind and | ||
gracious, she was a confidant to public officials and fellow | ||
staffers alike, and the counsel she offered freely was both frank | ||
and wise; she advocated for teachers and set an inspiring example | ||
through her commitment to the greater good of the Lone Star | ||
State; in 2001, she received the inaugural Betty King Award for | ||
Legislative Staff Service; and | ||
WHEREAS, Following Lieutenant Governor Ratliff's retirement, | ||
Ms. Solomon served as East Texas outreach coordinator for | ||
then-state comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn; she later joined | ||
Eric Wright & Associates, a government relations consulting | ||
firm; over the years, she served as president of the chambers of | ||
commerce in both Mount Vernon and Mount Pleasant, and she was | ||
appointed by Governor Mark White to the Sulphur River Basin | ||
Authority; and | ||
WHEREAS, Vatra Solomon lived a caring and purposeful life | ||
dedicated to the well-being of her fellow Texans, and she will be | ||
remembered with deep admiration and affection by all who were | ||
fortunate enough to know her; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th | ||
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Vatra Grace | ||
Solomon 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 Vatra Grace Solomon. | ||
Hughes, Hinojosa, | ||
Seliger, Watson, | ||
West, Whitmire, | ||
Zaffirini | ||
____________________________________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate | ||
____________________________________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate | ||
____________________________________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate | ||
______________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
______________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on May 13, 2019, by a | ||
rising vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate |