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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 State of Texas lost a celebrated entrepreneur |
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| 6 | 7 | | with the passing of Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim of Pittsburg on July 21, |
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| 7 | 8 | | 2017, at the age of 89; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in Pine on May 8, 1928, Bo Pilgrim was the son |
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| 9 | 10 | | of Alonzo Monroe Pilgrim and Gertrude Gunn Pilgrim; his father died |
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| 10 | 11 | | when he was a boy, and he went to live with his paternal |
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| 11 | 12 | | grandmother; after working as a farmhand and performing other |
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| 12 | 13 | | manual labor, he accepted an offer to partner with an older brother, |
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| 13 | 14 | | Aubrey, in ownership of a feed store; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Pilgrim served his country in the United States |
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| 15 | 16 | | Army, and while stationed in California, he was impressed by its |
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| 16 | 17 | | enormous feed operations; on his return to Texas, he guided |
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| 17 | 18 | | investment in larger facilities, and the Pilgrim family company |
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| 18 | 19 | | expanded into chicken products and became a major egg producer; he |
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| 19 | 20 | | took charge of Pilgrim's Pride following the death of his brother in |
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| 20 | 21 | | 1966, and while continuing to expand the business, he directed |
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| 21 | 22 | | innovative efforts to make its products leaner and healthier; a |
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| 22 | 23 | | savvy marketer, he gained national recognition by appearing in |
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| 23 | 24 | | commercials, sporting a pilgrim's buckled hat; the company became |
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| 24 | 25 | | one of the area's largest employers and one of the world's foremost |
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| 25 | 26 | | poultry producers; he retired in 2010, having spent more than four |
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| 26 | 27 | | decades building a company that today employs 35,000; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Highly engaged in the civic sphere, Mr. Pilgrim |
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| 28 | 29 | | worked at the state level to promote a positive business |
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| 29 | 30 | | environment, and his dedication to East Texas was reflected in his |
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| 30 | 31 | | founding of Pilgrim Bank, which he continued to serve as chair |
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| 31 | 32 | | emeritus until his death; a man of deep faith, he was a congregant |
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| 32 | 33 | | at First Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday school for many |
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| 33 | 34 | | years, and he spread the gospel widely by handing out religious |
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| 34 | 35 | | tracts; moreover, he established Marketplace Ministries, a |
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| 35 | 36 | | workplace outreach, created Witness Park as a place of prayer and |
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| 36 | 37 | | fellowship in the center of Pittsburg, and supported the completion |
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| 37 | 38 | | of Pilgrim Plaza, a one-acre site for contemplation and community |
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| 38 | 39 | | gatherings; his bountiful philanthropic giving made a positive |
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| 39 | 40 | | difference in countless lives; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Pilgrim shared a fulfilling marriage of 61 years |
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| 41 | 42 | | with his wife, Patty R. Pilgrim; he was the devoted father of three |
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| 42 | 43 | | children, Ken, Pat, and Greta, and his family also included his |
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| 43 | 44 | | grandchildren, Clayton, Jake, and Lonnie Pilgrim, Greta Gail |
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| 44 | 45 | | Simpson, Chesley Hindman, and Shelby Owens, and his |
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| 45 | 46 | | great-grandchildren, Kate, Emily, and Gracie Hindman; and |
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| 46 | 47 | | WHEREAS, Although his vision, work ethic, and business |
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| 47 | 48 | | expertise brought him tremendous professional success, Bo Pilgrim |
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| 48 | 49 | | placed the highest value on family, faith, and community, and those |
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| 49 | 50 | | who were privileged to know him will continue to find inspiration in |
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| 50 | 51 | | his example of generosity and humble appreciation for his |
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| 51 | 52 | | blessings; now, therefore, be it |
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| 52 | 53 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 53 | 54 | | Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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| 54 | 55 | | Bo Pilgrim and extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and, be |
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| 55 | 56 | | it further |
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| 56 | 57 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 57 | 58 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 58 | 59 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Lonnie "Bo" |
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| 59 | 60 | | Pilgrim. |
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