H.R. No. 91
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, A life dedicated to the service of others has drawn
to a close with the death of Kenneth Lee Decker of Houston on
December 13, 2020, at the age of 74; and
WHEREAS, Ken Decker was born in Oklahoma City on April 9,
1946, to Willis and Wanda Decker, and he grew up with two sisters,
Donna and Kay; after graduating from S. H. Rider High School in
Wichita Falls, he attended the Georgetown University School of
Foreign Service in Washington, D.C.; in August 1970, he married
Lorraine Ross in Austin, and the couple later moved to Bologna,
Italy, where Mr. Decker studied at the Johns Hopkins School of
Advanced International Studies; and
WHEREAS, Returning to Austin, Mr. Decker worked as
international trade director for the Texas Department of
Agriculture while also attending the Graduate School of Business at
The University of Texas at Austin; in 1976, he joined Arthur
Andersen LLP, in Houston, where he rose to tax manager, and with the
encouragement of his wife, he went on to launch his own
international tax practice, Decker Financial, conducting financial
workshops and personal counseling sessions with thousands of
families around the world; and
WHEREAS, In the aftermath of 9/11, Mr. and Mrs. Decker
founded two nonprofits, Financial Mentors of America and Skills For
Living, and each summer, Mr. Decker organized and emceed the Game
of Real Life in Houston, inspiring underserved high school students
to strive for a brighter future; as president of Decker &
Associates, he published Real Life Financial Mathematics and worked
with more than 50 Texas school districts to train teachers in this
critical-thinking curriculum; he was active in many local, state,
and national professional organizations, and he was also a lifelong
member of the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Decker was the proud and loving father of two
children, Caryn and Cameron, and having started his own career in
the public sector, he encouraged them to follow their dreams and
shape the world for the better as leaders in the City of San Diego
and Harris County governments, respectively; he delighted in the
time he spent traveling to the Texas Hill Country, Argentina, and
the Cayman Islands, and he enjoyed reading, listening to music, and
watching British mystery shows on television; and
WHEREAS, Although he is deeply missed, Ken Decker leaves
behind a legacy of generosity, wit, and compassion that will
continue to inspire all those who knew and loved him; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Kenneth Lee Decker
and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and many friends; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Kenneth Lee
Decker.
Wu
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 91 was unanimously adopted by a rising
vote of the House on March 10, 2021.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House