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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 life of professional achievement and dedicated |
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| 6 | 7 | | public service drew to a close with the passing of former state |
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| 7 | 8 | | representative Jack Harvey Harris on March 13, 2017, at the age of |
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| 8 | 9 | | 85; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The son of Frank and Marguerite Curry Harris, Jack |
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| 10 | 11 | | Harris was born in Houston on December 12, 1931; he enlisted in the |
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| 11 | 12 | | United States Air Force in 1953 and proudly served his country for |
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| 12 | 13 | | eight years, rising to the rank of captain; during and after his |
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| 13 | 14 | | career in the military, he attended a number of different colleges, |
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| 14 | 15 | | including Texas A&M University, and he went on to complete |
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| 15 | 16 | | bachelor's and master's degrees and a doctoral degree in dental |
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| 16 | 17 | | surgery; and |
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| 17 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Harris built a successful private practice of |
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| 18 | 19 | | dentistry and periodontics, which he operated from 1961 to 1991; he |
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| 19 | 20 | | also shared his expertise as an assistant and associate professor |
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| 20 | 21 | | of periodontics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at |
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| 21 | 22 | | Houston and as a member of the advisory board of the Health Law & |
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| 22 | 23 | | Policy Institute at the University of Houston Law Center; a leader |
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| 23 | 24 | | in his profession, he served as president of both the Texas and |
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| 24 | 25 | | American Dental Associations, and he held membership in the Houston |
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| 25 | 26 | | District Dental Society and other groups; recognized with myriad |
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| 26 | 27 | | honors throughout his career, he published widely in local, state, |
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| 27 | 28 | | and national dental journals and delivered presentations at |
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| 28 | 29 | | conferences and universities around the world; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan decided to take on a more |
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| 30 | 31 | | prominent role in shaping public policy, and his election as a |
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| 31 | 32 | | legislator precipitated a 12-year tenure in the statehouse; from |
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| 32 | 33 | | 1985 to 1997, he worked diligently to advance the interests of his |
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| 33 | 34 | | constituents in Brazoria and Fort Bend Counties, and he lent his |
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| 34 | 35 | | insight to the deliberations of committees on public health, |
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| 35 | 36 | | natural resources, environmental affairs, higher education, and |
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| 36 | 37 | | many other key issues; he remained active in civic life after |
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| 37 | 38 | | leaving office, serving as a Brazoria County commissioner from 1997 |
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| 38 | 39 | | to 2008; and |
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| 39 | 40 | | WHEREAS, Admired for his devotion to his family, Dr. Harris |
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| 40 | 41 | | had a rewarding marriage with his loving wife, Mary Ellen, that |
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| 41 | 42 | | spanned more than six decades, and he was immensely proud of their |
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| 42 | 43 | | son, Rick; through the years, he was further blessed with two |
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| 43 | 44 | | grandchildren, Ryan and Kathryn, as well as a treasured |
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| 44 | 45 | | great-granddaughter, Avery; and |
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| 45 | 46 | | WHEREAS, Jack Harvey Harris was a man of considerable gifts |
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| 46 | 47 | | and accomplishments whose life's work left an indelible mark on his |
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| 47 | 48 | | profession and community, and he leaves behind a record of service |
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| 48 | 49 | | that will continue to inspire all those who had the good fortune to |
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| 49 | 50 | | know him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 51 | 52 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable Jack |
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| 52 | 53 | | Harvey Harris and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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| 53 | 54 | | family: to his wife, Mary Ellen Harris; to his son, Rick Harris and |
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| 54 | 55 | | his wife, Susan; to his grandchildren, Ryan Harris and his wife, |
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| 55 | 56 | | Stephanie, and Kathryn Harris Jones and her husband, Dustin; to his |
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| 56 | 57 | | great-granddaughter, Avery Madison Jones; to his sisters, Jean |
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| 57 | 58 | | Pulleyn and Jane Shephard and her husband, David; and to his other |
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| 58 | 59 | | relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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| 59 | 60 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 60 | 61 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 61 | 62 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of the |
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| 62 | 63 | | Honorable Jack Harvey Harris. |
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