| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1043 |
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| 2 | 2 | | In Memory |
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| 3 | 3 | | of |
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| 4 | 4 | | Tommie Lee Bell |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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| 6 | 6 | | commemorates the life of Tommie Lee Bell, a pioneer among black |
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| 7 | 7 | | El Pasoans, who died May 18, 2009, at the age of 100; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Tommie Lee Bell was born in 1908; he was raised on |
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| 9 | 9 | | a farm in Faker, Texas; he left the East Texas area in the 1930s |
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| 10 | 10 | | to escape prejudice and to find work in El Paso; soon after moving |
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| 11 | 11 | | to El Paso, he married Lenora Hudson, who was from his hometown; |
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| 12 | 12 | | they were married for more than 60 years and had a son, the late |
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| 13 | 13 | | David Lee Bell, and a daughter, Tommie Anita Bell; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, He found work as an elevator operator at the Plaza |
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| 15 | 15 | | Hotel before being hired by Beaumont Army Medical Center, where |
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| 16 | 16 | | he worked as a cook and as a supervisor for 25 years before |
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| 17 | 17 | | retiring; he was one of the first black people to work as a |
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| 18 | 18 | | civilian at the center and was among the first blacks to own |
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| 19 | 19 | | property in El Paso; he had saved 25 cents a week to buy his first |
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| 20 | 20 | | home; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Throughout his life, he was active in community |
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| 22 | 22 | | service and volunteered with numerous organizations; at the age |
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| 23 | 23 | | of 90, he began volunteering at the Sierra Medical Center two |
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| 24 | 24 | | times a week as a lobby escort; when he was 92 years old, he was |
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| 25 | 25 | | honored as the Man of Distinction by the Delta Sigma Theta |
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| 26 | 26 | | Sorority for his commitment to community service; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Bell was a quiet, unassuming gentleman noted |
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| 28 | 28 | | for his warmth, his strength of character, and his kindness to |
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| 29 | 29 | | others; he lived through dramatic changes in the United States as |
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| 30 | 30 | | blacks gained equal rights, and he was an exemplary role model in |
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| 31 | 31 | | his community; he was a devoted father, and he leaves behind |
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| 32 | 32 | | memories that will be treasured for years to come by his family |
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| 33 | 33 | | and his many friends; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st |
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| 35 | 35 | | Legislature, hereby honor the memory of Tommie Lee Bell and |
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| 36 | 36 | | extend sincere condolences to his bereaved family; and, be it |
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| 37 | 37 | | further |
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| 38 | 38 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 39 | 39 | | his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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| 40 | 40 | | Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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| 41 | 41 | | memory of Tommie Lee Bell. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Shapleigh |
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| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | President of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 46 | 46 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 47 | 47 | | the Senate on May 27, 2009, by a |
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| 48 | 48 | | rising vote. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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