| 2 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
|---|
| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, A caring and purposeful life came to an untimely end |
|---|
| 6 | 7 | | with the passing of Steven Matthew Dekker of Houston on January 9, |
|---|
| 7 | 8 | | 2016, at the age of 51; and |
|---|
| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The son of John and Genevieve Pahls Dekker, Steve |
|---|
| 9 | 10 | | Dekker was born on November 3, 1964, in Wichita, Kansas; he was |
|---|
| 10 | 11 | | awarded a scholarship to attend both Wichita State University and |
|---|
| 11 | 12 | | the University of Nevada--Las Vegas, where he lettered in tennis |
|---|
| 12 | 13 | | and graduated with degrees in business administration and hotel and |
|---|
| 13 | 14 | | restaurant management; and |
|---|
| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dekker went on to work as a professional tennis |
|---|
| 15 | 16 | | coach, and after moving to Houston in 1994, he taught at the River |
|---|
| 16 | 17 | | Oaks Country Club, coaching Zina Garrison, George Bush, and other |
|---|
| 17 | 18 | | well-known clients; along the way, he became one of the early |
|---|
| 18 | 19 | | promoters of paddle tennis in the United States, and he traveled the |
|---|
| 19 | 20 | | world playing the sport competitively with the U.S. Padel Team; and |
|---|
| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan was later hired as director of |
|---|
| 21 | 22 | | racquet sports at the Houstonian Health Club and Spa, and in that |
|---|
| 22 | 23 | | role he was able to initiate a number of charitable ventures, |
|---|
| 23 | 24 | | including a diabetes fund-raiser and a mentoring program for foster |
|---|
| 24 | 25 | | children; he also supported the classical music program at Rice |
|---|
| 25 | 26 | | University as both a donor and fund-raiser and enjoyed attending |
|---|
| 26 | 27 | | performances of the institution's opera students and its symphony |
|---|
| 27 | 28 | | orchestra at venues all over the country; and |
|---|
| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, After he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of |
|---|
| 29 | 30 | | brain cancer in August 2013, Steve Dekker's courage, dignity, and |
|---|
| 30 | 31 | | commitment to helping others did not waver, and throughout his |
|---|
| 31 | 32 | | two-and-a-half-year battle, he devoted himself to advancing the |
|---|
| 32 | 33 | | fight against cancer; he was given a seat on the MD Anderson Cancer |
|---|
| 33 | 34 | | Center's Patient and Family Advisory Council, and he additionally |
|---|
| 34 | 35 | | served as a strong and compassionate voice for patients on the |
|---|
| 35 | 36 | | hospital's volunteer services and patient experience steering |
|---|
| 36 | 37 | | committees; and |
|---|
| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Blessed with a loving family, Mr. Dekker enjoyed a |
|---|
| 38 | 39 | | 17-year relationship with Gregory Montelaro, with whom he exchanged |
|---|
| 39 | 40 | | wedding vows in June 2015; he happily welcomed Mr. Montelaro's |
|---|
| 40 | 41 | | children, Brett and Lauren, into his life as his own, and he was |
|---|
| 41 | 42 | | further cherished by a wide circle of siblings, nieces, nephews, |
|---|
| 42 | 43 | | and extended family, as well as a multitude of dear friends; his |
|---|
| 43 | 44 | | youthful exuberance and contagious smile made an impression on |
|---|
| 44 | 45 | | everyone he encountered, and his passion for sports and the |
|---|
| 45 | 46 | | outdoors led him to some of his favorite pastimes, which included |
|---|
| 46 | 47 | | running marathons, waterskiing, and snowboarding; and |
|---|
| 47 | 48 | | WHEREAS, Though his journey ended far too soon, Steve Dekker |
|---|
| 48 | 49 | | built a life that was extraordinarily rich in professional |
|---|
| 49 | 50 | | achievements, in love and friendship, and in meaningful service to |
|---|
| 50 | 51 | | others, and he will forever be remembered with tremendous affection |
|---|
| 51 | 52 | | by those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it |
|---|
| 52 | 53 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
|---|
| 53 | 54 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Steven Matthew |
|---|
| 54 | 55 | | Dekker and extend heartfelt sympathy to all who mourn his passing; |
|---|
| 55 | 56 | | and, be it further |
|---|
| 56 | 57 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|---|
| 57 | 58 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|---|
| 58 | 59 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Steve |
|---|
| 59 | 60 | | Dekker. |
|---|