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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, Bill O'Neal was named 2014 Citizen of the Year at the |
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| 6 | 7 | | 69th Annual Panola County Chamber of Commerce membership banquet |
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| 7 | 8 | | held on February 19, 2015; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan taught history at Panola College |
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| 9 | 10 | | for close to four decades; his lessons are fondly remembered by |
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| 10 | 11 | | countless former students, some of whom were the second generation |
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| 11 | 12 | | in their families to take his classes; in recognition of his |
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| 12 | 13 | | outstanding contributions to the college, a new dormitory has been |
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| 13 | 14 | | named in his honor; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Mr. O'Neal has immersed himself in the history of |
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| 15 | 16 | | Texas and has penned over 40 books in that field; his knowledge of |
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| 16 | 17 | | and passion for the subject led to his appointment as State |
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| 17 | 18 | | Historian of Texas in 2012, and in 2014, he became the first person |
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| 18 | 19 | | to be named to a second term in that position; as the ambassador for |
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| 19 | 20 | | Texas history, he has traveled extensively to extol the rich |
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| 20 | 21 | | heritage of the Lone Star State, addressing classrooms of children |
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| 21 | 22 | | as well as teachers, civic groups, and historical clubs; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Along the way, Bill O'Neal has remained deeply |
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| 23 | 24 | | rooted in the county he calls home; he is an active member of |
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| 24 | 25 | | Central Baptist Church in Carthage, where he volunteers as church |
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| 25 | 26 | | historian and as a Sunday school leader, and he has served as chair |
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| 26 | 27 | | of the building committee; he has also served on the board of Panola |
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| 27 | 28 | | General Hospital, and he is a current board member for the local |
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| 28 | 29 | | branch of Hochheim Prairie Insurance; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, A former broadcaster for KGAS Radio, Mr. O'Neal |
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| 30 | 31 | | continues to appear as a guest on the station's Panola Pride show; |
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| 31 | 32 | | for more than 30 years, he was the "Voice of the Panola Ponies," and |
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| 32 | 33 | | he has broadcast events for numerous other teams in the area, in |
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| 33 | 34 | | addition to serving as a founding member of several local |
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| 34 | 35 | | children's sports leagues; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Bill O'Neal's public-spirited contributions are an |
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| 36 | 37 | | inspiration to all who know him, and with his receipt of this |
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| 37 | 38 | | well-deserved honor, he may indeed reflect with pride on the many |
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| 38 | 39 | | ways that he has enriched the lives of fellow Texans near and far; |
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| 39 | 40 | | 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 congratulate Bill O'Neal on his selection as the |
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| 42 | 43 | | 2014 Citizen of the Year by the Panola County Chamber of Commerce |
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| 43 | 44 | | and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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| 44 | 45 | | further |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 46 | 47 | | prepared for Mr. O'Neal as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 47 | 48 | | House of Representatives. |
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