TITLE: In memory of Mary Frances Diedrick Haas of Corpus Christi.

SUMMARY: In memory of Mary Frances Diedrick Haas of Corpus Christi.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Residents of the Coastal Bend area lost an admired civic leader with the death of Mary Frances Diedrick Haas of Corpus Christi on February 1, 2013, at the age of 98; and WHEREAS, Born in New Jersey on July 22, 1914, the former Mary Frances Diedrick was the daughter of Philip and Josephine Diedrick; she left home at the age of 14 to attend Trenton State Teachers' College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in English and history and her teaching certification; she taught special education classes for a time, and she also sold encyclopedias door-to-door and worked at Macy's book department; and WHEREAS, She met Paul Haas at a church social, and they were married in 1936; the following year, the couple moved to Houston, and in 1941, when Mr. Haas was hired by an oil and gas company, they relocated to Corpus Christi, where Mrs. Haas became deeply engaged in community life; she helped to create what is now Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi, serving on the original board that worked to establish an institution of higher education in the city and later as the president of the board of directors for the school's foundation for development and expansion; she was appointed by Governors Bill Clements and Mark White to the University System of South Texas Board of Trustees, becoming the first female member of that body and later its president, and she played an instrumental role in the negotiations that resulted in the three state universities in Corpus Christi, Kingsville, and Laredo joining the Texas A&M system; she also served on the TAMU--Corpus Christi president's council and assisted in the creation of the school's Early Childhood Education Center; she received an honorary doctorate from the school in 1995; and WHEREAS, She and her husband established the Paul and Mary Haas Foundation in 1954, and Mrs. Haas guided the foundation in its mission of philanthropy for half a century; the organization awarded more than $3 million in scholarships to over 1,000 deserving students and donated some $15 million to worthy organizations in the area; in addition, the Haas Foundation established endowed chairs in English and history at TAMU--Corpus Christi and a chair in genetics and an endowment for urologic cancer research at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center; a lifelong supporter of education, Mrs. Haas annually selected a book to be presented to each member of the graduating class at the Paul R. Haas Middle School; and WHEREAS, For three decades, Mrs. Haas served as a "Pink Lady" at Spohn Hospital, and she was recognized for her efforts at the hospital with an award for volunteerism; she also chaired the citizens' board of directors of Martineau Juvenile Hall and was a member and officer of the Coastal Bend Youth City School; a lover of music and theater, she served on the board of directors of the local symphony and a municipal arts commission, and she served as secretary of the Patrons of De Pineda and as president of the La Retama study club; in addition, she was a member of the local library and YWCA boards as well as a founding member and trustee of the Parkway Presbyterian Church; and WHEREAS, In her leisure, Mrs. Haas enjoyed knitting and doing needlepoint, and she sewed blankets for premature babies born at Driscoll Children's Hospital; she also liked to golf and to go dancing with her husband, with whom she shared 72 years, before his passing in 2008; moreover, Mrs. Haas was a devoted mother, and she took great pride in her children and their spouses, Rheta and Robert Page, Raymond and Amanda Haas, and Rene Haas and David Perry, as well as in her 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Although this remarkable and accomplished woman will be deeply missed, she leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that will continue to resonate in South Texas and beyond for years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Mary Frances Diedrick Haas and extend sincere sympathy to her friends and loved ones; 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 Mary Frances Diedrick Haas. Herrero Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1421 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on April 24, 2013. Chief Clerk of the House