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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 life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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| 6 | 7 | | a close with the passing of Berl Lawrence Handcox Sr. of Austin on |
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| 7 | 8 | | June 21, 2020, at the age of 88; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born in Denton on February 23, 1932, to R. D. and |
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| 9 | 10 | | Annie Vernell Handcox, Berl Handcox grew up with a brother, James; |
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| 10 | 11 | | after graduating from Fred Moore High School in 1949, he served in |
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| 11 | 12 | | the U.S. Navy during the Korean War; he subsequently attended |
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| 12 | 13 | | Prairie View A&M College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in |
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| 13 | 14 | | 1961; while there, he met his future wife, the former Ruby L. |
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| 14 | 15 | | Hemphill; the couple went on to share 50 rewarding years of marriage |
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| 15 | 16 | | until her passing, and their cherished family grew to include three |
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| 16 | 17 | | sons, Gary, Ricky, and Berl, as well as seven grandchildren and |
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| 17 | 18 | | eight great-grandchildren; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Handcox began his career as an educator and |
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| 19 | 20 | | coach at high schools in Sealy and College Station; he then worked |
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| 20 | 21 | | at the Gary Job Corps Center in San Marcos before moving to Austin |
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| 21 | 22 | | in 1964 and finding employment as an in-house education training |
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| 22 | 23 | | facilitator and a company recruiter with IBM; along the way, he |
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| 23 | 24 | | distinguished himself as not only a civic leader but as a |
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| 24 | 25 | | trailblazer in his community, becoming the first African American |
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| 25 | 26 | | elected to the Austin City Council since it adopted the |
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| 26 | 27 | | manager-council form of government; he ably represented his |
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| 27 | 28 | | constituents for two terms, from 1971 to 1975, focusing his efforts |
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| 28 | 29 | | on improving the quality of life in East Austin by revitalizing |
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| 29 | 30 | | infrastructure and addressing many other needs; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, After his tenure on the council, Mr. Handcox was |
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| 31 | 32 | | appointed executive director of the Office of Equal Employment |
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| 32 | 33 | | Opportunity under Governor Dolph Briscoe; he then worked for |
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| 33 | 34 | | Motorola and the Texas Workforce Commission and became an |
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| 34 | 35 | | entrepreneur prior to his retirement; he also volunteered on |
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| 35 | 36 | | various boards throughout his life; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Berl Handcox gave freely of his time and expertise |
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| 37 | 38 | | to better his community, and he leaves behind a legacy that will |
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| 38 | 39 | | resonate for years to come; now, 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 Berl Lawrence |
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| 41 | 42 | | Handcox Sr. and extend deepest sympathy to his loved ones; and, be |
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| 42 | 43 | | it further |
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| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 44 | 45 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 45 | 46 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Berl |
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| 46 | 47 | | Handcox. |
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