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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 caring and purposeful life drew to a close with the |
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| 6 | 7 | | passing of Kenneth Eugene Blackburn of Celina on April 13, 2015, at |
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| 7 | 8 | | the age of 72; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born to Randall and Ruth Blackburn on September 21, |
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| 9 | 10 | | 1942, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ken Blackburn attended William |
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| 10 | 11 | | Penn High School, where he took part in school plays and excelled at |
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| 11 | 12 | | football, baseball, and basketball; he went on to play |
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| 12 | 13 | | semiprofessional football and enjoyed a successful career in the |
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| 13 | 14 | | electrical industry; as a sales manager, he traveled widely and |
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| 14 | 15 | | lived in numerous states before finally settling down in Celina; |
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| 15 | 16 | | and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Blackburn married his high school sweetheart, |
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| 17 | 18 | | the former Shirley Estright, on October 29, 1960, and the couple |
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| 18 | 19 | | became the proud parents of four daughters, Lorraine, Charlotte, |
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| 19 | 20 | | Jeannette, and Yvonne, and a son, Joseph; as the years passed, they |
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| 20 | 21 | | took great delight in welcoming to their family 10 grandchildren, |
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| 21 | 22 | | Brett, Nicole, Renee, Tyler, Shaun, Erika, Courtney, Yvonne, Kenny, |
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| 22 | 23 | | and Timothy, and 5 great-grandchildren, Tinsley, Caleb, Major, |
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| 23 | 24 | | Colten, and Graham; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, An active and respected member of his community, |
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| 25 | 26 | | Mr. Blackburn served as the sergeant at arms of the Preston Trails |
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| 26 | 27 | | Rotary Club, and he was a valued congregant of Bethel Baptist Church |
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| 27 | 28 | | in Celina; he had previously dedicated his time and talents to |
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| 28 | 29 | | AMBUCS and the Harrisburg Boys & Girls Club while living in |
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| 29 | 30 | | Pennsylvania; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Beloved for his exceptional loyalty, his vibrant |
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| 31 | 32 | | smile, and his warm and generous nature, Ken Blackburn lived life to |
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| 32 | 33 | | the fullest, and those who were privileged to share in his love and |
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| 33 | 34 | | affection will forever hold him close in their hearts; now, |
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| 34 | 35 | | therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 36 | 37 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Ken Blackburn and |
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| 37 | 38 | | extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife of |
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| 38 | 39 | | 54 years, Shirley Blackburn; to his daughters, Lorraine Ehret, |
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| 39 | 40 | | Charlotte Ruffle and her husband, Mike, and Jeannette Ezell and her |
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| 40 | 41 | | husband, Sherman; to his grandchildren, Brett Ehret and his wife, |
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| 41 | 42 | | Britney, Nicole Martin and her husband, Dane, Renee Jones and her |
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| 42 | 43 | | husband, Dirik, Shaun Ehret, Tyler and Erika Ruffle, and Courtney, |
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| 43 | 44 | | Yvonne, and Kenny Ezell; to his great-grandchildren, Tinsley Ehret, |
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| 44 | 45 | | Caleb and Colten Martin, and Major and Graham Jones; to his |
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| 45 | 46 | | siblings, George Blackburn and his wife, Betty, Toni Graves and her |
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| 46 | 47 | | husband, Eric, Sandy Goss, and Steven Blackburn and his wife, Olga; |
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| 47 | 48 | | and to his other relatives and many friends; 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 Kenneth |
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| 51 | 52 | | Eugene Blackburn. |
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