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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The passing of Joseph Ray Perry on April 27, 2017, at |
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| 6 | 7 | | the age of 92 marked the end of a long and purposeful life that |
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| 7 | 8 | | encompassed honorable service to his country and his community; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born on April 23, 1925, in the Paint Creek community |
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| 9 | 10 | | of Haskell County, Ray Perry was the eldest child of Hoyt and Thelma |
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| 10 | 11 | | Dinsmore Perry; after graduating from high school in 1943, he |
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| 11 | 12 | | joined the United States Army Air Corps at the height of World War |
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| 12 | 13 | | II; assigned as a tail gunner on B-17 bombers, he flew a total of 35 |
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| 13 | 14 | | missions over war-torn Europe and earned several medals for his |
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| 14 | 15 | | valor in combat; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Following his return to civilian life, Mr. Perry |
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| 16 | 17 | | exchanged wedding vows with the former Amelia June Holt, whom he had |
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| 17 | 18 | | met on a blind date; they went on to enjoy nearly 70 years of |
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| 18 | 19 | | marriage and became the loving parents of two children, Milla Perry |
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| 19 | 20 | | Jones and James Richard Perry; Rick Perry followed in his father's |
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| 20 | 21 | | footsteps to serve in the U.S. Air Force before returning to the |
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| 21 | 22 | | family farm in Paint Creek in 1977, and the pair farmed and ranched |
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| 22 | 23 | | together for more than a decade until the younger Perry was elected |
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| 23 | 24 | | the Texas commissioner of agriculture; Ray Perry knew the pride of |
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| 24 | 25 | | seeing his son build a stellar career in public office by becoming |
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| 25 | 26 | | the longest-serving governor in state history and later being |
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| 26 | 27 | | appointed to his current post as the U.S. secretary of energy; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of Haskell County, Ray Perry |
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| 28 | 29 | | embarked on a 28-year tenure as county commissioner following his |
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| 29 | 30 | | initial election victory in 1968; his community service also |
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| 30 | 31 | | included 10 years on the Paint Creek school board and six years on |
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| 31 | 32 | | the West Central Texas Council of Governments, which he led as |
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| 32 | 33 | | president for a time, and he was a member of the local water board as |
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| 33 | 34 | | well; his retirement in the 1990s allowed him more time to enjoy |
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| 34 | 35 | | visits from his family, which had grown to include his |
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| 35 | 36 | | daughter-in-law, Anita, his grandchildren, Griffin, Caitlyn, and |
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| 36 | 37 | | Sydney, and his great-grandchildren, Ella and Piper; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Ray Perry fought courageously for his nation and |
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| 38 | 39 | | went on to serve the residents of his county with equal commitment, |
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| 39 | 40 | | and memories of this esteemed Texan will forever be treasured by all |
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| 40 | 41 | | those who shared in the richness of his life; now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 42 | 43 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Joseph Ray Perry and |
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| 43 | 44 | | extend deepest sympathy to his relatives and friends; 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 his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 47 | 48 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joseph Ray |
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| 48 | 49 | | Perry. |
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