| 2 | 3 | | |
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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, The Stiles family has been an integral part of the |
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| 6 | 7 | | ranching community in the Texas Panhandle for more than a century; |
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| 7 | 8 | | and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The family traces its roots in the livestock |
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| 9 | 10 | | business to July 1901, when William Gordon Stiles bought land near |
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| 10 | 11 | | Wheeler from Judge F. M. Patton; the Stiles Ranch was initially a |
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| 11 | 12 | | cow-calf operation that raised Shorthorn and Hereford cattle, but |
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| 12 | 13 | | in 1910, Mr. Stiles acquired the first of the Aberdeen Angus breed |
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| 13 | 14 | | that became the ranch's signature; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, William Gordon Stiles II and his wife, Ora Belinda, |
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| 15 | 16 | | subsequently took over the ranch; the couple's children, Sandra, |
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| 16 | 17 | | Sharon, Bill, and Bob, were introduced to the family business at a |
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| 17 | 18 | | young age, and in time, members of this generation began overseeing |
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| 18 | 19 | | the property; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Remaining true to her heritage, Sandra Stiles |
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| 20 | 21 | | Christner ran a farm in Hemphill County with her husband, Tom, and |
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| 21 | 22 | | the pair later purchased a ranch in Oklahoma; they moved to Wheeler |
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| 22 | 23 | | in 1973, and seven years later, they bought a ranch near Mobeetie; |
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| 23 | 24 | | Mrs. Christner continued to run that property after her husband's |
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| 24 | 25 | | death in 1986, and she played an active role in ranch operations |
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| 25 | 26 | | over the years through her skills as a horsewoman, often riding her |
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| 26 | 27 | | beloved mustang, Aggie, to help round up cattle; the devoted mother |
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| 27 | 28 | | of four children, Cynthia, Tom, Elise, and Vaughan, she has been a |
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| 28 | 29 | | member of First United Methodist Church and the Top-O-Texas |
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| 29 | 30 | | Cowbells, and she has also distinguished herself as an accomplished |
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| 30 | 31 | | Western artist; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, The role of the family ranch in Texas history is both |
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| 32 | 33 | | important and long-standing, and the members of the Stiles family |
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| 33 | 34 | | are indeed deserving of recognition for helping to carry forward |
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| 34 | 35 | | the legacy that was begun and nurtured by their ancestors in decades |
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| 35 | 36 | | past; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby honor the Stiles family for its enduring |
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| 38 | 39 | | involvement in Texas ranching and extend to Sandra Stiles Christner |
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| 39 | 40 | | and the other members of the family sincere best wishes for the |
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| 40 | 41 | | future; and, be it further |
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| 41 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 42 | 43 | | prepared for the family as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | House of Representatives. |
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