HOUSE MEMORIAL 5

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first special session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Jim W. Hall

A MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PASSING OF REPRESENTATIVE JEANNETTE O. WALLACE.

     WHEREAS, Jeannette O. Wallace of Los Alamos died April 8, 2011; and

     WHEREAS, she was born January 16, 1934 in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she grew up on a small farm and from an early age found joy in the Methodist church; and

     WHEREAS, she received a bachelor's degree in medical technology from Arizona state university in 1955; and

     WHEREAS, she met and married Terry C. Wallace when both were students in Arizona, and upon graduation, they moved to Ames, Iowa, where Terry earned his Ph.D.; and

     WHEREAS, the Wallaces moved to Los Alamos in 1958; and

     WHEREAS, Jeannette raised five children before her first run for political office in 1982, when she was elected to the Los Alamos county council, and served until 1988, when she began lobbying on behalf of Los Alamos county before the state legislature; and

     WHEREAS, as a result of her lobbying, she decided to run for and was first elected to the state legislature in 1990; and

     WHEREAS, she was appointed to the house appropriations and finance committee during her first term and was a member during her tenure in the house, characterizing that committee as the most valuable to serve on, and she said she did not sponsor many bills because that would have required her to miss many committee hearings, which she felt were vital to be present for, because that was where the action was; and

     WHEREAS, she also was a member of the house health and government affairs committee and the radioactive and hazardous materials committee; and

     WHEREAS, she was a recipient of many awards and recognitions, most notably the "Flor de las Flores" award from the Hispanic round table in 2000; and

     WHEREAS, she also received the legislator of the year award from the New Mexico association of counties, the community colleges association support award, the Los Alamos firefighters award, the independent community colleges support award, the association of commerce and industry business star award, the recycle New Mexico legislator of the year award, the Rio Arriba county appreciation award, the tribute to women award and many others; and

     WHEREAS, she was noted for her bipartisan commitment to her district and the communities of northern New Mexico and was especially appreciated for her commitment of legislative appropriations to the math and science academy, which served so many teachers across northern New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, in addition to her many awards and many years of service to her district and all New Mexicans, she is remembered by her colleagues for her good-natured irascibility, her unrelenting hard work, her honesty and her fierce commitment to this house that led all to respect her and so many to love her, so that we all hope to leave a legacy such as hers; and

     WHEREAS, she is survived by her husband, Terry C. Wallace; her sons, Terry Junior and Tim; her daughters, Sheryl and Janice; nine grandchildren; one great grandchild; and many friends and colleagues throughout New Mexico;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that condolences be extended to the family and friends of Jeannette O. Wallace, a loving and truly devoted servant of New Mexico; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to the family of Jeannette O. Wallace.

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