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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The passing of admired inventor, entrepreneur, and |
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| 6 | 7 | | beef industry pioneer William Cline Pratt on October 21, 2020, at |
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| 7 | 8 | | the age of 77, brought a great loss to his family and friends; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The son of Kenneth and Virginia Pratt, Bill Pratt |
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| 9 | 10 | | was born in San Antonio on November 5, 1942, and he grew up on a |
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| 10 | 11 | | ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, with two siblings, Hal and Kathleen; |
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| 11 | 12 | | he married the love of his life, the former Linda Brooks, and they |
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| 12 | 13 | | became the proud parents of three sons, Bryan, who died in September |
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| 13 | 14 | | 2020, and Fred and Glen; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, After earning his bachelor's degree in animal |
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| 15 | 16 | | science from Oklahoma State University, Mr. Pratt served in the |
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| 16 | 17 | | U.S. Army National Guard for seven years; he invented and patented a |
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| 17 | 18 | | revolutionary system for measuring and delivering micro feed |
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| 18 | 19 | | ingredients to cattle, and in 1971, he and his wife founded Micro |
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| 19 | 20 | | Chemical Incorporated in Amarillo; the company expanded into |
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| 20 | 21 | | ranching, packing, retailing, and other areas, and it became Micro |
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| 21 | 22 | | Beef Technologies in 1999; by 2011, Mr. Pratt held nearly 90 |
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| 22 | 23 | | patents in the U.S. and abroad, and his company had well over 200 |
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| 23 | 24 | | employees and more than $230 million in annual revenue; and |
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| 24 | 25 | | WHEREAS, With a remarkable work ethic, Mr. Pratt also founded |
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| 25 | 26 | | Amarillo Steel Fabricators, Panther Lake Ranch, Bluestem Ford, |
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| 26 | 27 | | Pawhuska Dozer and Field Service, Latigo Oil Company, and Bill's |
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| 27 | 28 | | Backyard Classics; he always credited his wife's assistance for his |
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| 28 | 29 | | success, and he was a wonderful mentor to numerous aspiring |
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| 29 | 30 | | inventors and entrepreneurs; over the years, he expressed his faith |
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| 30 | 31 | | quietly through countless acts of kindness, and his patriotism |
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| 31 | 32 | | shone through his support for military and veterans organizations; |
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| 32 | 33 | | his modest demeanor belied an adventurous streak, and he flew solo |
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| 33 | 34 | | north of the Arctic Circle and won the majority of his races in the |
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| 34 | 35 | | Sports Car Club of America's Formula Atlantic series; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Although Bill Pratt is deeply missed by those he |
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| 36 | 37 | | left behind, they will forever treasure their memories of his |
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| 37 | 38 | | compassion, generosity, and endless zest for learning; now, |
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| 38 | 39 | | therefore, be it |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 40 | 41 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of William Cline Pratt |
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| 41 | 42 | | and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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| 42 | 43 | | wife, Linda Pratt; to his sons, Fred Pratt and his wife, Linda, and |
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| 43 | 44 | | Glen Pratt and his wife, Natalia; to his sister, Kathleen Jackson; |
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| 44 | 45 | | to his seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and to his |
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| 45 | 46 | | many other relatives and friends; 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 William |
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| 49 | 50 | | Cline Pratt. |
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