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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 full and productive life drew to a close with the |
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| 6 | 7 | | passing of James Oscar Dear of Mineola on January 28, 2014, at the |
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| 7 | 8 | | age of 97; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born on May 15, 1916, to Sam and Nancy Dear, James |
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| 9 | 10 | | Dear graduated from Mineola High School and was subsequently |
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| 10 | 11 | | drafted into the United States Army during World War II; a code |
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| 11 | 12 | | interceptor for the Mediterranean Allied Air Forces intelligence |
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| 12 | 13 | | service, he earned the Meritorious Achievement Award for helping |
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| 13 | 14 | | destroy a group of German bombers targeting a convoy of ships in the |
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| 14 | 15 | | Mediterranean Sea, and he was additionally awarded two Bronze Star |
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| 15 | 16 | | Medals; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dear began working at a cinema at the age of 12 |
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| 17 | 18 | | and quickly developed a passion for movies, and during the war, he |
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| 18 | 19 | | entertained his fellow soldiers by screening films; after returning |
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| 19 | 20 | | to civilian life, he and his friend Truman Thomas became the owners |
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| 20 | 21 | | and operators of the Select Theater in Mineola; a popular town |
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| 21 | 22 | | hangout, the business thrived for many decades and was donated to |
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| 22 | 23 | | the Lake Country Playhouse following the retirement of its |
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| 23 | 24 | | proprietors; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Dedicated to his community, Mr. Dear was highly |
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| 25 | 26 | | regarded for his extensive knowledge of local history, and he was |
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| 26 | 27 | | actively involved with the Meredith Foundation, which he served as |
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| 27 | 28 | | chair for a quarter-century, and the Mineola Chamber of Commerce; |
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| 28 | 29 | | he was also a cofounder of the Mineola Hay and Junior Livestock |
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| 29 | 30 | | Shows and a valued congregant of First United Methodist Church, |
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| 30 | 31 | | where he was a Sunday school teacher and a member of numerous |
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| 31 | 32 | | committees; receiving well-deserved recognition for his civic |
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| 32 | 33 | | leadership, he was presented with the Paul Harris Fellow Award by |
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| 33 | 34 | | the Rotary Foundation and the Mineola Man of the Year Award by the |
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| 34 | 35 | | chamber of commerce; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dear shared a fulfilling marriage with his wife, |
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| 36 | 37 | | Frances Dear, who preceded him in death; the couple became the |
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| 37 | 38 | | parents of a daughter, Martha, and their family later grew to |
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| 38 | 39 | | include two granddaughters, Nicole and Savannah, and a |
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| 39 | 40 | | great-grandson, Colt; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known James Dear will |
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| 41 | 42 | | remember the way he touched their lives with his kindness and |
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| 42 | 43 | | generosity, and he will forever hold a treasured place in their |
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| 43 | 44 | | hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 45 | 46 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James Oscar Dear and |
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| 46 | 47 | | extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and, be 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 the members of his family and that when the Texas House |
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| 49 | 50 | | of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of James |
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| 50 | 51 | | Dear. |
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