SR457 - In memory of Edna Belle Pemberton of Dallas.

        SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 457       In Memory   of   Edna Belle Pemberton            WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the   citizens of Dallas in mourning the loss of Edna Belle Pemberton,   who died April 13, 2025, at the age of 81; and          WHEREAS, Edna was born in Chicago on March 27, 1944, as the   youngest of nine children; after losing her mother and growing up   in the foster care system from a young age, Edna was led to a life   of service, and she went on to commit much of her time, energy,   and talents as a tireless advocate for positive change, a voice   for her community, and a force for good; and          WHEREAS, Edna met the love of her life, the late DarNell   Pemberton, while attending church as a teenager in Chicago, and   they married on September 19, 1964; Edna and DarNell were blessed   with four daughters, and throughout more than four decades   together, they built a rewarding partnership founded on   boundless love and their dedication to serving their family and   community; they went on to adopt and help raise eight of her   nieces, nephews, and young relatives, and their family of 14   resided in California before relocating to Dallas and settling in   the Oak Cliff neighborhood; and          WHEREAS, An exemplary citizen, Edna was respected for her   numerous accomplishments and for her work in addressing   inequities in southern Dallas; she began her career by working as   a stockroom employee at Kmart and advanced into management   positions, and she led various supply drives and community   initiatives through her role with the company; her positive   impact on the city and her fellow residents and neighbors   included her efforts to enact a youth curfew to improve safety   and crime, to extend bus lines for residents to access necessary   services, and to save and revitalize the Southwest Center Mall,   formerly the Red Bird Mall, in Dallas; and          WHEREAS, Mrs. P, as she was affectionately known to many,   was active in numerous local organizations, including the Dallas   Chapter NAACP, the Martin Luther King Center, and Camp Wisdom   Now; she was a founder of Positively Oak Cliff, a nonprofit   coalition of entrepreneurs and community leaders, and she served   as a voter registrar and precinct chair in her local precinct;   she was the recipient of numerous accolades, including several   Governors' awards for her contributions to her community, and she   was honored to serve as a torchbearer in Dallas ahead of the 1996   Olympic Games in Atlanta; and          WHEREAS, A role model of compassion and resilience, Edna   was a friend to all and a mother-figure and mentor to many; she   practiced her faith in her daily life, and she was an active and   longtime member and community leader of Concord Missionary   Baptist Church; her passion for helping others and her dedication   to her Oak Cliff community made a lasting difference in the lives   of innumerable people in their times of need and who were   experiencing such challenges as natural disasters and financial   struggles; and          WHEREAS, Although Edna found immense fulfillment in her   role as a community volunteer, advocate, and activist, above all,   she cherished spending quality time together with those closest   to her; her unflagging support and love for her family set a   shining example for her children, who have gone on to serve as   educators, community leaders, and volunteers; she was a devoted   mother and grandmother and a revered figure in the Dallas   community, and she leaves behind an extraordinary legacy and   countless memories that will be treasured forever by her many   loved ones and by all who were privileged to share in her life;   now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th   Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved   family of Edna Belle Pemberton; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for   her family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas   Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in   memory of Edna Pemberton.     West                 ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on April 28, 2025, by a     rising vote.                 ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate                 ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate