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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, Family and friends are experiencing great sadness |
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| 6 | 7 | | with the passing of community leader Curtis James Smith of Dallas, |
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| 7 | 8 | | who died on July 30, 2020, at the age of 95; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born to Roy and Arbella Smith on January 18, 1925, |
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| 9 | 10 | | Curtis Smith grew up in Longview with three siblings, Roy, Nina, and |
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| 10 | 11 | | Ola; a U.S. Navy Veteran of World War II, Mr. Smith was the first |
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| 11 | 12 | | African American promoted to seaman first class; and |
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| 12 | 13 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Smith wed Kelcy Mae Williams in 1947, and the |
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| 13 | 14 | | couple shared an extraordinary and loving marriage that spanned 73 |
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| 14 | 15 | | years, a love story that signifies a lifetime of dedication and |
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| 15 | 16 | | commitment to one another and to their family; they were blessed |
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| 16 | 17 | | with two daughters, Curtis Marie and Melbra, and their family later |
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| 17 | 18 | | grew to include four grandchildren, Kristia, Christopher, Gerald, |
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| 18 | 19 | | and Curtis, and 10 great-grandchildren; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Smith enjoyed a 32-year career as a Sky Chief |
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| 20 | 21 | | manager with Braniff Airways; he went on to work as a Sky Chief |
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| 21 | 22 | | manager at American Airlines for 11 years before retiring; and |
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| 22 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Smith were some of the earliest |
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| 23 | 24 | | residents of the Hamilton Park community; Mr. Smith founded the |
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| 24 | 25 | | Hamilton Park Interorganizational Council and played a pivotal role |
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| 25 | 26 | | in desegregation; he was instrumental in establishing policies and |
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| 26 | 27 | | educational rights for African Americans within the Richardson |
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| 27 | 28 | | Independent School District and Hamilton Park Pacesetter Magnet |
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| 28 | 29 | | School, and he was appointed by a federal judge as the first chair |
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| 29 | 30 | | and organizer of the Richardson ISD Bi-Racial Committee following |
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| 30 | 31 | | the Brown v. Board of Education supreme court case; he was also a |
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| 31 | 32 | | precinct chair and a founding member of the Hamilton Park Civic |
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| 32 | 33 | | League; he was honored at the Hamilton Park High School 2010 |
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| 33 | 34 | | reunion, and he and his wife were named as a Dallas County Power |
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| 34 | 35 | | Couple; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Smith was a leading member of Hamilton Park |
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| 36 | 37 | | United Methodist Church, where he served as chair of the |
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| 37 | 38 | | state-licensed child care center and as a member of the Board of |
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| 38 | 39 | | Trustees Finance Committee and the United Methodist Men of The Park |
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| 39 | 40 | | ministry; in recognition of his leadership, the church's library |
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| 40 | 41 | | was named in his honor; and |
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| 41 | 42 | | WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family and his community, |
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| 42 | 43 | | Curtis Smith made a meaningful difference in the lives of countless |
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| 43 | 44 | | fellow citizens, and his contributions and impact will be |
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| 44 | 45 | | remembered with admiration for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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| 45 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 46 | 47 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Curtis James Smith |
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| 47 | 48 | | and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family, his |
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| 48 | 49 | | friends, and his many supporters; 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 Curtis |
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| 52 | 53 | | Smith. |
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