TITLE: Honoring Jane Sibley of Austin for her civic engagement.

SUMMARY: Honoring Jane Sibley of Austin for her civic engagement.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Jane Sibley of Austin has made innumerable contributions to art and history in the Lone Star State, and it is a pleasure to honor this elegant and distinguished civic leader for her many accomplishments; and WHEREAS, Descended from tough West Texas stock, the former Jane Dunn grew up in Fort Stockton; while performing water ballet for the Fort Stockton Water Carnival, she discovered a passion for the arts, which she went on to pursue as a student at The University of Texas at Austin; and WHEREAS, In 1950, she married Dr. D. J. Sibley, a World War II veteran who shared her interests; the couple enjoyed a rewarding marriage that spanned 54 years, and together they raised three beloved children; and WHEREAS, After moving to Austin in the early 1960s, Ms. Sibley devoted herself to supporting art and history programs; for her first major project, she put on a highly successful fund-raiser for the Laguna Gloria Art Museum, later becoming president of the museum's board of directors; her subsequent campaign to save prehistoric rock paintings in West Texas led the governor to appoint her to serve as a member of the Texas Historical Commission, in which capacity she used her exceptional talent for obtaining donations to promote many worthy projects; and WHEREAS, With a reputation for getting things done, Ms. Sibley was named to the board of the Austin Symphony Orchestra in 1967 and quickly took a leading role in that organization; for the next four decades, she guided the symphony as president and then chair of the board; when the orchestra needed a new performing center, she helped raise the tens of millions of dollars necessary to convert the Palmer Auditorium into the Long Center for the Performing Arts; and WHEREAS, Among the numerous other institutions to have benefited from Ms. Sibley's efforts are the Fort Stockton Historical Society, the Paramount Theatre for the Performing Arts, and The University of Texas College of Fine Arts Advisory Council; her philanthropic work has been recognized with the White Shaman Award from the Rock Art Foundation, the Ima Hogg Award from UT, and the naming of the Austin Symphony Orchestra Jane Dunn Sibley Award for Outstanding Cultural Arts Leadership in her honor; she is an Austin Arts Hall of Fame inductee and an honorary citizen of Mexico; in 2013, she released an autobiography titled Jane's Window: My Spirited Life in West Texas and Austin;and WHEREAS, The intelligence, charm, and steely determination that Jane Sibley brings to all of her endeavors have created a record of achievement that will continue to benefit the state for many years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby honor Jane Sibley for her civic engagement and leadership and commend her for her dedication to the arts and to the preservation of the state's history; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Sibley as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Landgraf Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 3274 was adopted by the House on May 30, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House