| 1 | 1 | | 87S10584 BPG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Guillen H.R. No. 9 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Texas A&M community is mourning the loss of |
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| 7 | 7 | | admired educator Dr. Joe David Townsend of South Padre Island, who |
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| 8 | 8 | | passed away on July 1, 2021, at the age of 75; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Born to Charles Eli Townsend and Pauline Townsend on |
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| 10 | 10 | | July 24, 1945, Joe Townsend grew up with a brother, Donald, and |
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| 11 | 11 | | graduated from McAllen High School; while earning his bachelor's |
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| 12 | 12 | | degree in agricultural education at Texas A&M University, he served |
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| 13 | 13 | | as president of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences student |
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| 14 | 14 | | council, and he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, the |
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| 15 | 15 | | Agricultural Leadership Society, FFA, and the 4-H Club; he began |
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| 16 | 16 | | his career as a high school teacher while completing a master's |
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| 17 | 17 | | degree and doctoral degree in agricultural education at Iowa State |
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| 18 | 18 | | University, and he taught at both Iowa State and Illinois State; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, "Dr. Joe" returned to Texas A&M in 1984 and became |
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| 20 | 20 | | associate dean for students in the College of Agriculture and Life |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sciences and associate vice president for students; over the course |
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| 22 | 22 | | of a quarter century, he taught at least 1,000 students per |
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| 23 | 23 | | semester; he received numerous accolades, including the University |
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| 24 | 24 | | Distinguished Teaching Award, the John J. Koldus III Award from the |
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| 25 | 25 | | Division of Student Affairs, and the Outstanding Alumni Award from |
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| 26 | 26 | | the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; in addition, he was |
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| 27 | 27 | | recognized by Minorities in Agriculture and the Natural Resources |
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| 28 | 28 | | and Related Sciences Council, and he was honored four times by the |
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| 29 | 29 | | Association of Former Students; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Devoted to his family, Dr. Townsend shared a |
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| 31 | 31 | | fulfilling marriage of 41 years with his wife, Christine Davis |
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| 32 | 32 | | Townsend; he took great pride in his children, Kelly and Michael, |
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| 33 | 33 | | and his four grandchildren; in 2009, Dr. Christine Townsend |
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| 34 | 34 | | established the Dr. Joe D. Townsend Agricultural Leadership, |
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| 35 | 35 | | Education, and Communications Leadership Fellows Program at Texas |
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| 36 | 36 | | A&M in honor of her husband; the couple was inducted into the Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Letterman's Association Hall of Honor together; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Joe David Townsend enriched the lives of countless |
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| 39 | 39 | | students over the course of his long career in higher education, and |
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| 40 | 40 | | his contributions to Texas A&M University will continue to resonate |
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| 41 | 41 | | in the years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 43 | 43 | | Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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| 44 | 44 | | Dr. Joe David Townsend and extend sincere condolences to all who |
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| 45 | 45 | | mourn his passing; and, be it further |
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| 46 | 46 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 47 | 47 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 48 | 48 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joe David |
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| 49 | 49 | | Townsend. |
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