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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Gerald |
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| 6 | 7 | | Morris Jr. of Houston, who passed away on April 24, 2021, at the age |
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| 7 | 8 | | of 56; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The son of Gerald Morris Sr. and Shirley Ann Morris, |
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| 9 | 10 | | Gerald Morris was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on February 17, |
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| 10 | 11 | | 1965, and grew up with four younger siblings; educated in the North |
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| 11 | 12 | | Forest Independent School District, he excelled in track and |
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| 12 | 13 | | basketball and also won dance competitions; he went on to graduate |
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| 13 | 14 | | from barber's school and co-owned a successful barber and beauty |
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| 14 | 15 | | shop in Oklahoma; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Morris became active in East Park Baptist Church |
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| 16 | 17 | | in the 1980s, serving as president of the Young Adult Choir; he was |
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| 17 | 18 | | ordained as a deacon in 1986, and under his leadership as drill |
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| 18 | 19 | | sergeant, the Drill Team Ministry won many awards; called to the |
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| 19 | 20 | | ministry, he was ordained in 1996 and organized United Christian |
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| 20 | 21 | | Community Church in Houston; after moving to Oklahoma City, |
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| 21 | 22 | | Oklahoma, he served at Christian Faith Missionary Baptist Church |
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| 22 | 23 | | for many years; he returned to Houston and East Park Baptist in |
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| 23 | 24 | | 2009, and he also belonged to the Lighthouse Church and Gethsemane |
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| 24 | 25 | | Missionary Baptist Church; in 2016, he received the Community |
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| 25 | 26 | | Appreciation Award from the East Houston Economic Development |
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| 26 | 27 | | Company in recognition of his service and mentorship of North |
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| 27 | 28 | | Forest residents; and |
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| 28 | 29 | | WHEREAS, During the pandemic, Mr. Morris led his family in a |
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| 29 | 30 | | telephone worship service every Sunday morning, helping them grow |
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| 30 | 31 | | in their faith, and his brothers, cousins, and Uncle Richard joined |
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| 31 | 32 | | him weekly for a men's Bible study; every Friday, he shared his |
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| 32 | 33 | | faith live on Facebook, even when hospitalized; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Gerald Morris led a life of caring devotion to |
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| 34 | 35 | | others, and although he is deeply missed, he will remain a lasting |
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| 35 | 36 | | source of inspiration to all who knew him; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 37 | 38 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Gerald Morris Jr. and |
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| 38 | 39 | | extend sincere condolences to his loved ones; and, be it further |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 40 | 41 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 41 | 42 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Gerald |
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| 42 | 43 | | Morris Jr. |
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