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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, Countless lives were touched by the commitment and |
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| 6 | 7 | | compassion of Dr. Ralph M. Smith of Austin, who passed away on March |
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| 7 | 8 | | 11, 2017, at the age of 85; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born on March 19, 1931, Ralph Smith grew up in Hot |
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| 9 | 10 | | Springs, Arkansas; he married the former Bess Noble in 1951, and the |
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| 10 | 11 | | couple shared a rewarding marriage that spanned 56 years before |
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| 11 | 12 | | Mrs. Smith's passing in 2008; they became the parents of three |
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| 12 | 13 | | children, Diane, Wallace, and Peyton, and in later years, the |
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| 13 | 14 | | family grew to include seven grandchildren and three |
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| 14 | 15 | | great-grandchildren; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smith completed his doctoral degree in theology |
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| 16 | 17 | | at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as pastor |
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| 17 | 18 | | of First Baptist Church in Rosenberg before becoming pastor of Hyde |
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| 18 | 19 | | Park Baptist Church in Austin; his uplifting, beautifully crafted |
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| 19 | 20 | | sermons provided inspiration to all who heard them, and over the 36 |
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| 20 | 21 | | years that he led the Hyde Park congregation, membership increased |
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| 21 | 22 | | from about 1,000 to more than 12,000; this dedicated leader also |
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| 22 | 23 | | established the Hyde Park Baptist Foundation as an endowment to |
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| 23 | 24 | | support church ministries; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Highly respected by his peers, Dr. Smith helped |
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| 25 | 26 | | establish 16 churches, served on the founding executive committee |
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| 26 | 27 | | of Austin Baptist Church, and oversaw the construction of numerous |
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| 27 | 28 | | buildings for Baptist organizations; in addition, he served as |
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| 28 | 29 | | president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the |
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| 29 | 30 | | Southern Baptist Convention Pastor's Conference, and he was a |
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| 30 | 31 | | regent of Baylor University and chair of the Southwestern Baptist |
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| 31 | 32 | | Theological Seminary board of trustees; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Smith retired in 1996, after he was stricken by |
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| 33 | 34 | | Guillain-Barre syndrome, and following 17 months of |
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| 34 | 35 | | hospitalization and rehabilitation, he published the book You Can't |
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| 35 | 36 | | Fall off the Floor to offer encouragement and hope to other |
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| 36 | 37 | | sufferers; he also published three other titles in his lifetime, |
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| 37 | 38 | | and he continued to mentor younger pastors and provide spiritual |
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| 38 | 39 | | guidance to those in need until the final years of his life; and |
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| 39 | 40 | | WHEREAS, Warm, engaging, and quick to smile, Ralph Smith |
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| 40 | 41 | | conveyed a joyful message of unwavering faith, and he will forever |
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| 41 | 42 | | hold a special place in the hearts of those he left behind; now, |
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| 42 | 43 | | therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 44 | 45 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to Dr. Ralph Smith and extend |
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| 45 | 46 | | sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 47 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 47 | 48 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 48 | 49 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. Smith. |
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