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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, A remarkable life dedicated to inspiring students |
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| 6 | 7 | | with a love of all creatures great and small has drawn to a close |
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| 7 | 8 | | with the passing of Jim Dunlap of Dallas on April 5, 2015, at the age |
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| 8 | 9 | | of 70; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Jim Dunlap was born in Waco on October 10, 1944, and |
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| 10 | 11 | | he moved with his family to the Dallas area when he was two years |
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| 11 | 12 | | old; his fascination with animals was evident from an early age when |
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| 12 | 13 | | he used to bring them to share with his schoolmates on the |
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| 13 | 14 | | playground, holding up a lizard to draw a crowd; by the time he was |
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| 14 | 15 | | 10, he had collected 52 box turtles; when his mother balked at |
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| 15 | 16 | | letting all his critters in the house, his father built a shed for |
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| 16 | 17 | | his collection in the backyard; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, After graduating from Mesquite High School, |
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| 18 | 19 | | Mr. Dunlap served in the U.S. Army for three years, and he worked as |
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| 19 | 20 | | a police officer in University Park in order to put himself through |
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| 20 | 21 | | North Texas State University, earning a bachelor's degree in |
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| 21 | 22 | | education as well as a master's degree; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dunlap began his career with the Lewisville |
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| 23 | 24 | | Independent School District before joining the Plano ISD, where |
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| 24 | 25 | | over the course of 34 years, he became a beloved biology teacher and |
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| 25 | 26 | | mentor to generations of students, with whom he especially enjoyed |
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| 26 | 27 | | sharing his enthusiasm for wild animals; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Known affectionately as "the snake man" or "the |
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| 28 | 29 | | animal guy," Mr. Dunlap amassed such a large collection that the |
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| 29 | 30 | | school district gave him his own building at the Holifield Science |
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| 30 | 31 | | Learning Center in 1989; known as the Living Materials Center, it |
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| 31 | 32 | | became a haven for unwanted or abused animals, and through the years |
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| 32 | 33 | | it offered thousands of delighted schoolchildren the chance to meet |
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| 33 | 34 | | such diverse creatures as bobcats, monkeys, buzzards, and the star |
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| 34 | 35 | | of Mr. Dunlap's menagerie, a giant Burmese python named Katy; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, In addition to his work as a teacher, Mr. Dunlap |
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| 36 | 37 | | authored seven books, often appeared on television to talk about |
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| 37 | 38 | | animals, and wrote a column for the local paper called "Backyard |
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| 38 | 39 | | Zoo"; he was recognized as the Humane Educator of the Year in 1993 |
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| 39 | 40 | | and 2008 by the Texas Animal Control Association, and when he |
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| 40 | 41 | | retired from teaching in 2010, the center was rededicated as the Jim |
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| 41 | 42 | | Dunlap Living Materials Center in his honor; even in retirement, he |
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| 42 | 43 | | continued to volunteer at the center three days a week, as well as |
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| 43 | 44 | | at the Dallas Zoo; and |
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| 44 | 45 | | WHEREAS, During summer vacations, when the schools were |
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| 45 | 46 | | closed, Mr. Dunlap often brought animals home with him, and his |
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| 46 | 47 | | wife, Peggy, who died in 2013, lovingly supported him in all his |
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| 47 | 48 | | endeavors, allowing their home to be inhabited by monkeys, snakes, |
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| 48 | 49 | | and all manner of creatures; Mr. Dunlap was further blessed with |
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| 49 | 50 | | the love of his two children, Sid and Erin, and his two |
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| 50 | 51 | | grandchildren, Stella and Sofia; and |
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| 51 | 52 | | WHEREAS, A gifted teacher, Jim Dunlap shared his joy in the |
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| 52 | 53 | | magnificent diversity of the animal kingdom with generations of |
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| 53 | 54 | | Texans, and the memory of his intellectual curiosity and spirit of |
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| 54 | 55 | | adventure will continue to enrich the lives of all those who were |
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| 55 | 56 | | privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 56 | 57 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 57 | 58 | | Legislature pay tribute to the life of Jim Dunlap and extend sincere |
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| 58 | 59 | | condolences to the members of his family: to his son, Scott Dunlap, |
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| 59 | 60 | | and his wife, Lisa; to his daughter, Erin Dunlap Martinez, and her |
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| 60 | 61 | | husband, Mike; to his sister, Paula Mischel; to his grandchildren, |
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| 61 | 62 | | Stella and Sofia Martinez; to his niece, Tracy Barr; to his |
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| 62 | 63 | | mother-in-law, Polly Wilds; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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| 63 | 64 | | and, be it further |
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| 64 | 65 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 65 | 66 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 66 | 67 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jim Dunlap. |
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