TITLE: In memory of Bessie Swindle of Houston.

SUMMARY: In memory of Bessie Swindle of Houston.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The passing of Bessie M. Swindle on March 28, 2019, at the age of 79, concluded a remarkable life of service to Southeast Houston; and WHEREAS, Born in Loreauville, Louisiana, Bessie Swindle moved to Houston in the 1950s and settled in the Sunnyside neighborhood; she founded the Cloverland Civic Club and as its president, she represented 400 homeowners and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of her neighbors, offering aid to families in need and raising money for scholarships; in 1994, she became president of the Southeast Coalition of Civic Clubs, and after acting as community liaison for the Precinct 7 constable, she went on to serve as outreach coordinator for Congressman Al Green; she was also a member of the City of Houston's Police Officers' Civil Service Commission and the mayor's Tower Commission; and WHEREAS, Ms. Swindle's dedicated activism helped bring Sunnyside a library, a police storefront, and an extensive renovation of Cloverland Park; a powerful advocate for environmental justice, she organized 2,000 residents in opposition to a concrete plant in 2002, and she continued to fight the threat of pollution into the present decade; she championed numerous worthwhile initiatives, among them a 2006 study of racial disparities in the placement of children in child protective services custody; a woman of faith, she was an active member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church; in 2007, the City of Houston celebrated Bessie M. Swindle Day and Partnership of Service Day in her honor, and two years later, it renamed a popular facility the Bessie Swindle Community Center; she received myriad other accolades through the years, including the Mayor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service and an honorary degree from the Houston Community College System; and WHEREAS, Through her selfless devotion to the betterment of her community, Bessie Swindle made a meaningful difference in countless lives, and her contributions will continue to resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Bessie M. Swindle 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 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Bessie M. Swindle. Thierry Bonnen of Brazoria Guerra Noble Allen Guillen Oliverson Allison Gutierrez Ortega Anchia Harless Pacheco Anderson Harris Paddie Ashby Hefner Parker Bailes Hernandez Patterson Beckley Herrero Paul Bell of Kaufman Hinojosa Perez Bell of Montgomery Holland Phelan Bernal Howard Price Biedermann Huberty Ramos Blanco Hunter Raney Bohac Israel Raymond Bonnen of Galveston E. Johnson of Dallas Reynolds Bowers J. Johnson of Dallas Rodriguez Buckley Johnson of Harris Romero, Jr. Bucy Kacal Rose Burns King of Hemphill Rosenthal Burrows King of Parker Sanford Button King of Uvalde Schaefer Cain Klick Shaheen Calanni Krause Sheffield Canales Kuempel Sherman, Sr. Capriglione Lambert Shine Clardy Landgraf Smith Cole Lang Smithee Coleman Larson Springer Collier Leach Stephenson Cortez Leman Stickland Craddick Longoria Stucky Cyrier Lopez Swanson Darby Lozano Talarico Davis of Dallas Lucio III Thierry Davis of Harris Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dean Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Deshotel Metcalf Tinderholt Dominguez Meyer Toth Dutton Meza Turner of Dallas Farrar Middleton Turner of Tarrant Fierro Miller VanDeaver Flynn Minjarez Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morales White Geren Morrison Wilson Gervin-Hawkins Mu oz, Jr. Wray Goldman Murphy Wu Gonz lez of Dallas Murr Zedler Gonz lez of El Paso Neave Zerwas Goodwin Nev rez Zwiener Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1648 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 21, 2019. Chief Clerk of the House