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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, Residents of Richardson were deeply saddened by the |
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| 6 | 7 | | death of former mayor Bobby Lee Townsend on June 2, 2017, at the age |
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| 7 | 8 | | of 84; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The son of Vernon and Lillian Townsend, Bob Townsend |
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| 9 | 10 | | was born in Durant, Oklahoma, on January 6, 1933; he studied at the |
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| 10 | 11 | | University of Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma State University |
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| 11 | 12 | | before going on to complete his master's degree at Southern |
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| 12 | 13 | | Methodist University; on July 27, 1952, he married the former |
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| 13 | 14 | | Madeline "Lynn" Stevens, and they became the parents of four |
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| 14 | 15 | | children, Kurt, Valerie, Kret, and Kevin; he eventually knew the |
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| 15 | 16 | | joy of welcoming into his family seven grandchildren, Michael, |
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| 16 | 17 | | David, Barrett, Jackson, Kyle, Adrian, and Julie, and six |
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| 17 | 18 | | great-grandchildren, Parker, Maddie, Lewis, Melanie, Caroline, and |
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| 18 | 19 | | Kennedy; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Townsend began his career as an accountant and |
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| 20 | 21 | | data processing developer for Swift and Company in Memphis, |
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| 21 | 22 | | Tennessee, and Chicago, Illinois; eager to return to the Southwest, |
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| 22 | 23 | | he joined Texas Instruments in 1958, and his responsibilities in |
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| 23 | 24 | | the Information Systems and Services Division included management |
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| 24 | 25 | | of the company's internal communications system; following his |
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| 25 | 26 | | retirement in 1996, he dedicated himself to his beloved community; |
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| 26 | 27 | | he was president of the Southwest Richardson Homeowners Association |
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| 27 | 28 | | and the Richland Meadows Neighborhood Association, and he served on |
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| 28 | 29 | | a number of city boards and commissions; in 2001, he was elected to |
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| 29 | 30 | | the city council, and during a tenure that spanned 16 years, he was |
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| 30 | 31 | | mayor from 2011 to 2013 and served three terms as mayor pro tem; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, A tireless public servant, Mr. Townsend furthered |
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| 32 | 33 | | economic development, launching the Mayor's Office of |
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| 33 | 34 | | International Business and building fruitful relationships with |
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| 34 | 35 | | business representatives from abroad; he played a key role in a host |
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| 35 | 36 | | of projects, among them the Eisemann Center, five DART rail |
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| 36 | 37 | | stations, three fire stations, a fire training center, and multiple |
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| 37 | 38 | | recreation and sports facilities; moreover, he promoted greater |
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| 38 | 39 | | unity and understanding among citizens through his involvement in |
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| 39 | 40 | | the reactivation of the Richardson Interfaith Alliance and the |
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| 40 | 41 | | adoption of its Charter for Compassion; his profound commitment to |
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| 41 | 42 | | the city led him to continue his work until the end of his term on |
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| 42 | 43 | | the council despite his battle with lung cancer; named Citizen of |
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| 43 | 44 | | the Year for 2016 by the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, he received |
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| 44 | 45 | | the city's Distinguished Service Award on the occasion of his |
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| 45 | 46 | | retirement in May 2017; and |
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| 46 | 47 | | WHEREAS, Bob Townsend made a lasting, positive difference in |
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| 47 | 48 | | Richardson, and although he is deeply missed, his devotion to his |
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| 48 | 49 | | family and his community will remain a source of inspiration to all |
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| 49 | 50 | | who had the good fortune to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 50 | 51 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 51 | 52 | | Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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| 52 | 53 | | Bobby Lee Townsend and extend sincere condolences to his loved |
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| 53 | 54 | | ones; and, be it further |
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| 54 | 55 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 55 | 56 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 56 | 57 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Bob |
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| 57 | 58 | | Townsend. |
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