Bill Text: TX SR559 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: In memory of Mary O. Horn.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-12 - Reported enrolled [SR559 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR559-Introduced.html
Bill Title: In memory of Mary O. Horn.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-12 - Reported enrolled [SR559 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR559-Introduced.html
88R28138 KSM-D | ||
By: Springer, Parker | S.R. No. 559 |
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WHEREAS, Denton County lost a trailblazing civic leader with | ||
the passing of former county judge Mary O. Horn on April 21, 2023, | ||
at the age of 77; and | ||
WHEREAS, The daughter of Lieutenant Commander | ||
Dr. O. W. Roberts and Mary Ann Roberts, the former Mary Roberts was | ||
born in Owatonna, Minnesota, on June 28, 1945; after studying at | ||
Mankato State College and earning certification from the Minnesota | ||
School of Business, she began working for Braniff International | ||
Airways in Dallas as a flight attendant; she rose to become the only | ||
woman among the top executives at the airline before starting her | ||
own business in 1982; and | ||
WHEREAS, On May 6, 1967, she married James Nathan "Jim" Horn, | ||
and they settled in Denton, where they raised two children, | ||
Jennifer and Jim; the couple founded the Denton County Republican | ||
Party at their kitchen table in 1972, and Judge Horn campaigned | ||
energetically for her husband in his successful campaign for a seat | ||
in the Texas House of Representatives; in 1993, she became the first | ||
woman to win election as Denton County tax assessor-collector, and | ||
nine years later, she became the county's first female judge; | ||
during an era of phenomenal growth, she worked tirelessly to | ||
maintain a low tax rate while improving efficiency and providing a | ||
high level of service to residents; she increased budget reserves, | ||
paving the way for a AAA bond rating, modernized the county's taxing | ||
systems, and made motor vehicle registration more convenient by | ||
creating an online system; in 2004 and 2008, voters approved two | ||
bond packages, and she leveraged $335 million in local funds to | ||
bring over $3 billion for road improvements and construction, | ||
expansion, or renovation of county buildings; she retired in 2018, | ||
following four consecutive terms, as the longest-serving county | ||
judge in Denton County history; and | ||
WHEREAS, Judge Horn shared her expertise in leadership roles | ||
with a host of local and state organizations, and she was vice chair | ||
of the Texas Workforce Development Board; she served many terms as | ||
president of the Denton Republican Women's Club, and she was the | ||
Texas Federation of Republican Women's 1988 honoree; and | ||
WHEREAS, Above all, Judge Horn was devoted to her family, | ||
which grew to include eight grandchildren, Michael, Elle, Knox, | ||
Francie, Houston, Olive, Morgan, and Ashton; her greatest joy was | ||
spending time with them, whether attending their athletic events or | ||
reading stories, singing songs, and making up silly games; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mary Horn broke down barriers and skillfully guided | ||
Denton County during a transformative period, and although she will | ||
be deeply missed, her exceptional contributions will continue to | ||
resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature | ||
hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Mary O. Horn and | ||
extend sincere sympathy 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 Mary Horn. |