Texas Legislators: Past & Present

Mary Denny

Full Name: Mary Diane Denny
Other surnames: Craver, James, Tolpo
Birth date: July 9, 1948
Death date: September 14, 2023

Terms of Service

House, 79th Legislature
1/11/2005 - 1/9/2007
Republican
House, 78th Legislature
1/14/2003 - 1/11/2005
Republican
House, 77th Legislature
1/9/2001 - 1/14/2003
Republican
House, 76th Legislature
1/12/1999 - 1/9/2001
Republican
House, 75th Legislature
1/14/1997 - 1/12/1999
Republican
House, 74th ⁽⁵⁾ Legislature
1/10/1995 - 1/14/1997
Republican
House, 73rd ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾ ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾ Legislature
1/14/1993 - 1/10/1995
Republican

(1) 73rd Legislature - Roll of Members-Elect, 1/12/1993, p. 4. House Journal .
(2) 73rd Legislature - took oath of office at approximately 5:30 pm on Thursday, 1/14/1993. Texas House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office - Biographies of Legislators 1947.
(3) Name Mary Denny James for 73rd Legislature (1993); Mary Denny from 74th Legislature (1995) forward. Texas House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office - House of Representatives (roster), 62nd Legislature-present 1971.
(4) 77th Legislature - Denny oath of office date. Texas House of Representatives, Chief Clerk's Office - Seniority Order .
(5) Mary Denny Texas Legislative Manual .

Biographical Notes and Resources

Selected Newspaper articles

Resolutions and Journal entries

79th Legislature, R.S., HR 2054, granting Mary Denny and Norman Tolpo permission to use the House chamber for their wedding ceremony. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .
Mentioned in 74th Legislature, R.S., HCR 122, recognizing the 100th anniversary of the first female legislators. Resolutions - Congratulatory and Honorary .

Texas Monthly's Best and Worst Legislators

Named one of 'The Worst.' Best and Worst Legislators 2005.
Named one of the 'New Furniture' (Mary James). Best and Worst Legislators 1993.

Photographs

Photograph. Mary Denny, Members of the 79th Legislature Texas House of Representatives (CD-RW)
Photograph. Mary Denny converses with (from left to right) Rep. Joe Nixon, Speaker Pete Laney, and Dave McNeely., Texas House of Representatives
Photograph. Mary Denny, Texas House of Representatives
Photograph. Mary Denny, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mary Denny, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mary Denny, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mary Denny, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mary Denny, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Mary Denny, State Preservation Board
Photograph. Elvira Reyna, Terry Keel, Tom Craddick, John Culberson, Peggy Hamric, and Mary Denny in the Texas House of Representatives, 1999. Photo courtesy of Terry Keel, Donated Material
Photograph, Flip Book Photographs: Texas House of Representatives, 74th Legislature 1995.
Photograph, Flip Book Photographs: Texas House of Representatives, 79th Legislature 2005.

Other Resources

Relatives: Robert Hal Jackson and Mary Diane Denny, nee Craver - second cousins. Ancestry.com .
"House to Make a Home," 5/6/2005, reports on the marriage of incumbent representative Mary Denny and Norman Tolpo. The ceremony took place in the House chamber on 5/6/2005, with Representative Joe Crabb officiating. Austin American-Statesman .
Photo, political affiliation, and committee assignment. Capitol Women: Texas Female Legislators, 1923-1999 2000.
Notice of death, 9/15/2023. Speaker of the House .
Biographical sketch, 76th Legislature. Texas House of Representatives .
Denny, Mary Craver. Texas State Cemetery .