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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, The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas lost an admired |
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| 6 | 7 | | leader with the passing of Principal Chief Herbert G. Johnson Sr. on |
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| 7 | 8 | | August 9, 2021, at the age of 79; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A member of the Beaver Clan, Herbert Johnson was |
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| 9 | 10 | | born on April 3, 1942, on the Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation |
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| 10 | 11 | | near Livingston; after graduating from high school, he studied at |
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| 11 | 12 | | Jacksonville College, where he enjoyed a successful basketball |
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| 12 | 13 | | career; among his many achievements, he earned All-American |
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| 13 | 14 | | recognition in 1963, and he was later honored by the college as a |
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| 14 | 15 | | Distinguished Alumnus; he also briefly attended the University of |
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| 15 | 16 | | Houston, and he went on to obtain certification from Kilgore |
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| 16 | 17 | | College and the Angelina Criminal Justice Center as an East Texas |
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| 17 | 18 | | Police Academy reserve officer; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson served two terms on the |
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| 19 | 20 | | Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council and worked as the tribal security |
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| 20 | 21 | | director for more than two decades before his retirement in 2012; |
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| 21 | 22 | | the following year, he was elected as the tribe's second chief, and |
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| 22 | 23 | | he held that position until January 1, 2020, when he was installed |
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| 23 | 24 | | as principal chief, or Mikko Choba Skalaaba; along the way, he |
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| 24 | 25 | | served with the tribe's volunteer fire department and managed |
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| 25 | 26 | | tribal softball and basketball leagues, and he was a member of the |
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| 26 | 27 | | Big Sandy Independent School District Board of Trustees for 48 |
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| 27 | 28 | | years; a man of deep faith, he was also a deacon and elder of the |
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| 28 | 29 | | Indian Presbyterian Church; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Johnson benefited from the |
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| 30 | 31 | | love and support of his wife, Deloris; he was the proud father of |
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| 31 | 32 | | five children, Davie, Delbert, Retha, Herbert, and Heather, and he |
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| 32 | 33 | | had the pleasure of welcoming into his family numerous |
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| 33 | 34 | | grandchildren; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his community, Mikko Choba |
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| 35 | 36 | | Skalaaba Herbert Johnson made a meaningful difference in the lives |
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| 36 | 37 | | of his loved ones and fellow citizens alike, and his contributions |
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| 37 | 38 | | to the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas will continue to resonate |
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| 38 | 39 | | in the 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, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
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| 41 | 42 | | of Principal Chief Herbert G. Johnson Sr. and extend deepest |
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| 42 | 43 | | sympathy to all who mourn his passing; and, be 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 Chief |
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| 46 | 47 | | Herbert Johnson. |
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