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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Jane Sibley of Austin has made innumerable |
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contributions to art and history in the Lone Star State, and it is a |
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pleasure to honor this elegant and distinguished civic leader for |
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her many accomplishments; and |
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WHEREAS, Descended from tough West Texas stock, the former |
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Jane Dunn grew up in Fort Stockton; while performing water ballet |
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for the Fort Stockton Water Carnival, she discovered a passion for |
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the arts, which she went on to pursue as a student at The University |
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of Texas at Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1950, she married Dr. D. J. Sibley, a World War II |
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veteran who shared her interests; the couple enjoyed a rewarding |
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marriage that spanned 54 years, and together they raised three |
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beloved children; and |
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WHEREAS, After moving to Austin in the early 1960s, |
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Ms. Sibley devoted herself to supporting art and history programs; |
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for her first major project, she put on a highly successful |
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fund-raiser for the Laguna Gloria Art Museum, later becoming |
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president of the museum's board of directors; her subsequent |
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campaign to save prehistoric rock paintings in West Texas led the |
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governor to appoint her to serve as a member of the Texas Historical |
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Commission, in which capacity she used her exceptional talent for |
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obtaining donations to promote many worthy projects; and |
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WHEREAS, With a reputation for getting things done, |
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Ms. Sibley was named to the board of the Austin Symphony Orchestra |
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in 1967 and quickly took a leading role in that organization; for |
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the next four decades, she guided the symphony as president and then |
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chair of the board; when the orchestra needed a new performing |
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center, she helped raise the tens of millions of dollars necessary |
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to convert the Palmer Auditorium into the Long Center for the |
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Performing Arts; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the numerous other institutions to have |
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benefited from Ms. Sibley's efforts are the Fort Stockton |
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Historical Society, the Paramount Theatre for the Performing Arts, |
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and The University of Texas College of Fine Arts Advisory Council; |
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her philanthropic work has been recognized with the White Shaman |
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Award from the Rock Art Foundation, the Ima Hogg Award from UT, and |
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the naming of the Austin Symphony Orchestra Jane Dunn Sibley Award |
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for Outstanding Cultural Arts Leadership in her honor; she is an |
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Austin Arts Hall of Fame inductee and an honorary citizen of Mexico; |
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in 2013, she released an autobiography titled Jane's Window: My |
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Spirited Life in West Texas and Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, The intelligence, charm, and steely determination |
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that Jane Sibley brings to all of her endeavors have created a |
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record of achievement that will continue to benefit the state for |
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many years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Jane Sibley for her civic engagement and |
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leadership and commend her for her dedication to the arts and to the |
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preservation of the state's history; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Sibley as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |