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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, A rich and purposeful life has drawn to a close with |
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| 6 | 7 | | the death of rodeo rider and producer Joe Davis of Fulshear on March |
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| 7 | 8 | | 25, 2019, at the age of 85; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, "Smokey" Davis was born in Crosby on August 25, |
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| 9 | 10 | | 1933, to Joe and Alice Davis; he started breakaway roping at the age |
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| 10 | 11 | | of 9, winning his first adult event at 11, and he exhibited cattle |
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| 11 | 12 | | at major livestock shows in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio while |
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| 12 | 13 | | he was in high school; he went on to attend the University of |
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| 13 | 14 | | Houston, where he was president of the rodeo team and competed in |
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| 14 | 15 | | five events, calf roping, steer roping, steer wrestling, bareback |
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| 15 | 16 | | riding, and bull riding; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Working as a machinist from 1955 until his |
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| 17 | 18 | | retirement in 1972, Mr. Davis also operated a ranch and continued |
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| 18 | 19 | | to compete in the rodeo on the weekends; he and a partner started |
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| 19 | 20 | | Round-Up Rodeo Productions in 1972, and in 1978, he founded the |
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| 20 | 21 | | Rafter D Rodeo Company, which staged 50 rodeos a year throughout |
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| 21 | 22 | | Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana, including shows for such |
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| 22 | 23 | | dignitaries as Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Queen Beatrix of |
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| 23 | 24 | | the Netherlands; over the years, he supplied livestock and |
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| 24 | 25 | | locations for many motion picture and television productions, |
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| 25 | 26 | | including the television miniseries Lonesome Dove and the series |
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| 26 | 27 | | The Son; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Davis served on the board of the International |
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| 28 | 29 | | Professional Rodeo Association as the stock contractor for the |
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| 29 | 30 | | Southern Region for 22 years, and he was a lifetime committee member |
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| 30 | 31 | | of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; he was also a member of the |
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| 31 | 32 | | Southern Rodeo Association and the Texas Rodeo Association, each of |
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| 32 | 33 | | which named him producer of the year on many occasions; his other |
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| 33 | 34 | | honors include induction into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame |
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| 34 | 35 | | and the South Central Texas Rodeo Ring of Honor; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Davis shared 62 years with his wife, Betty, |
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| 36 | 37 | | until her death in 2016; he was the proud father of 5 children, |
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| 37 | 38 | | Steve, Donnie, Ronnie, Kathy, and Karen, and later in life he was |
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| 38 | 39 | | blessed with 10 grandchildren, Jason, Jake, Lesliann, Brettney, |
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| 39 | 40 | | Hunter, Alicia, Ian, Caley, John, and the late John Edward Nemeth, |
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| 40 | 41 | | as well as 20 great-grandchildren; and |
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| 41 | 42 | | WHEREAS, A devoted family man and a true Texas cowboy, Smokey |
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| 42 | 43 | | Davis lived a life that was rich in professional and personal |
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| 43 | 44 | | accomplishments, and he will forever be a source of inspiration to |
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| 44 | 45 | | those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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| 46 | 47 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Joe "Smokey" Davis |
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| 47 | 48 | | and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many friends; |
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| 48 | 49 | | and, be it further |
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| 49 | 50 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 50 | 51 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 51 | 52 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Smokey |
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| 52 | 53 | | Davis. |
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