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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Lone Star State lost a respected educator with |
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| 6 | 7 | | the death of former Irving Independent School District |
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| 7 | 8 | | superintendent Dr. John F. Townley, who passed away on December 31, |
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| 8 | 9 | | 2014, at the age of 87; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Born in Paducah on February 9, 1927, to John and |
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| 10 | 11 | | Martha Townley, John Townley answered his nation's call to duty |
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| 11 | 12 | | with his service in the U.S. Army; he was a graduate of Weatherford |
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| 12 | 13 | | Junior College, Texas Wesleyan University, and The University of |
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| 13 | 14 | | Texas; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Townley began his career in education in 1952 in |
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| 15 | 16 | | the Everman Independent School District, where he served as a |
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| 16 | 17 | | teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent; he later led the |
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| 17 | 18 | | Pharr-San Juan-Alamo and Taylor school districts before joining the |
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| 18 | 19 | | Irving ISD as superintendent of schools in 1970; over the course of |
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| 19 | 20 | | his exemplary 15-year tenure in that post, as in every previous |
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| 20 | 21 | | position he had held, he displayed a rare dedication to his students |
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| 21 | 22 | | and earned the admiration and respect of his peers; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Following his retirement, this esteemed |
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| 23 | 24 | | administrator continued to give back to his community as a |
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| 24 | 25 | | volunteer and advocate for Irving schools; he was recognized for |
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| 25 | 26 | | his many contributions to the district with the naming of John |
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| 26 | 27 | | F. Townley Elementary School in his honor; in addition, the Everman |
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| 27 | 28 | | ISD honored Dr. Townley and his wife, Polly, with the dedication of |
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| 28 | 29 | | John and Polly Townley Elementary; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, John and Polly Townley shared many years of |
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| 30 | 31 | | rewarding marriage, enriched by their mutual love of their work and |
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| 31 | 32 | | by their devotion to all the students they helped to guide over the |
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| 32 | 33 | | years; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Townley was a valued member of Oak View Baptist |
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| 34 | 35 | | Church, and in his leisure time, he enjoyed quail hunting and |
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| 35 | 36 | | playing golf as a member of Las Colinas Country Club; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his profession and his community, |
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| 37 | 38 | | Dr. Townley made a positive difference in the lives of countless |
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| 38 | 39 | | Texans, and he leaves behind a legacy that will resonate for years |
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| 39 | 40 | | to come; now, therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 41 | 42 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dr. John F. Townley |
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| 42 | 43 | | and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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| 43 | 44 | | wife, Eula "Polly" Townley; to his sisters, Effie Leek and Margaret |
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| 44 | 45 | | McGlaun; to his nieces, Phyllis Foreman and Patsy Perry; to his |
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| 45 | 46 | | nephew, Tommy Leek; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be |
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| 46 | 47 | | it further |
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| 47 | 48 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 48 | 49 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 49 | 50 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. John |
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| 50 | 51 | | F. Townley. |
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