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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 generous life drew to a close with the |
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| 6 | 7 | | passing of James Louis Halt of Dallas on April 6, 2015, at the age of |
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| 7 | 8 | | 82; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The son of Edna and Wallace Halt, Jim Halt was born |
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| 9 | 10 | | in Sparta, Illinois, on April 12, 1932; he served his country in the |
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| 10 | 11 | | United States Navy during the Korean War, and he subsequently took |
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| 11 | 12 | | advantage of the G.I. Bill to complete his bachelor's degree at |
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| 12 | 13 | | Southern Illinois University; and |
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| 13 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Halt moved to the Dallas area in the early |
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| 14 | 15 | | 1960s, and in 1966 he married the former Beverly Sheffield; he |
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| 15 | 16 | | adopted her daughter, Sheryl, and three years later, the couple |
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| 16 | 17 | | were blessed with another daughter, Melissa; raising two girls |
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| 17 | 18 | | brought him great joy, and when he became the grandfather of Ashley, |
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| 18 | 19 | | Maggie, Adrienne, and Sam, he never missed an opportunity to spend |
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| 19 | 20 | | time with them; and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, With his warm, funny, and outgoing personality, |
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| 21 | 22 | | Mr. Halt was a natural salesman, and he embarked on a successful |
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| 22 | 23 | | career with Jostens, a recognition products company; he loved to |
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| 23 | 24 | | take good care of his customers, and his job was his favorite hobby; |
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| 24 | 25 | | in 1977, he was proud to land the Super Bowl ring order from the |
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| 25 | 26 | | Dallas Cowboys, but every account was special to him; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, A man of deep faith, Mr. Halt was a valued member of |
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| 27 | 28 | | Highland Park Presbyterian Church, where he taught Sunday school |
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| 28 | 29 | | for nearly three decades and coached the boys' basketball team; his |
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| 29 | 30 | | ever-present grin and upbeat manner led his students to give him the |
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| 30 | 31 | | well-deserved nickname "Happy Jack"; in addition, he was a |
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| 31 | 32 | | dedicated volunteer at the Gardens of Richardson retirement |
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| 32 | 33 | | community, where he brightened social occasions with his sparkling |
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| 33 | 34 | | conversation and skill as a dance partner; when he was diagnosed |
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| 34 | 35 | | with Alzheimer's, he faced this challenge with characteristic |
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| 35 | 36 | | grace, and he continued to show his love for the people around him; |
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| 36 | 37 | | and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Jim Halt embraced life to the fullest, and memories |
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| 38 | 39 | | of the laughter, smiles, and stories he shared remain to gladden the |
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| 39 | 40 | | hearts of those he held dear; 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 life of Jim Halt and extend |
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| 42 | 43 | | sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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| 43 | 44 | | Beverly Halt; to his daughters, Sheryl Ofria and her husband, Ed, |
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| 44 | 45 | | and Melissa Youngblood and her husband, Keith; to his |
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| 45 | 46 | | granddaughters, Ashley, Maggie, and Adrienne Ofria; to his |
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| 46 | 47 | | grandson, Sam Youngblood; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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| 47 | 48 | | and, be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 50 | 51 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of James Louis |
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| 51 | 52 | | Halt. |
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