| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1152 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, A life lived with joy and purpose drew to a close |
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| 6 | 6 | | with the passing of Gene Graham on March 19, 2023, at the age of 90; |
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| 7 | 7 | | and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, The son of Talbert Edgar Graham and Jessie Vivian |
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| 9 | 9 | | McDaniel, Gene Graham was born in Raymondville on January 19, 1933; |
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| 10 | 10 | | he graduated from Raymondville High School in 1950 and earned a |
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| 11 | 11 | | degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University; answering |
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| 12 | 12 | | his nation's call to duty, he joined the United States Army, where |
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| 13 | 13 | | he served as a tank commander and rose to the rank of captain before |
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| 14 | 14 | | being honorably discharged; and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Returning to civilian life, Mr. Graham worked for |
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| 16 | 16 | | the Texas Highway Department in South Texas and for the Heldenfels |
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| 17 | 17 | | Brothers Construction Company in Corpus Christi; he later moved to |
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| 18 | 18 | | North Padre Island and became president of Padre Isles Investment |
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| 19 | 19 | | Corporation, where he played an instrumental role in building the |
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| 20 | 20 | | Padre Isles Country Club; he went on to establish his own |
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| 21 | 21 | | construction company and worked as a real estate broker and land |
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| 22 | 22 | | developer, helping create several subdivisions in the Flour Bluff |
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| 23 | 23 | | and Chapman Ranch areas of Corpus Christi; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Graham and his wife, Veda, shared a fulfilling |
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| 25 | 25 | | union that spanned more than half a century before her passing in |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2010; they became the parents of two children, Gary and Gail, as |
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| 27 | 27 | | well as a "bonus son," Alex, and the family later grew to include |
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| 28 | 28 | | numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; in all his |
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| 29 | 29 | | endeavors, Mr. Graham drew strength from his Christian beliefs, and |
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| 30 | 30 | | he made use of his engaging sense of humor and his gifts as a |
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| 31 | 31 | | storyteller to share his message of faith; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known Gene Graham |
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| 33 | 33 | | will remember the way he touched their lives with his generosity and |
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| 34 | 34 | | charm, and he will forever hold a treasured place in their hearts; |
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| 35 | 35 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Gene Graham and |
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| 38 | 38 | | extend heartfelt condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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| 39 | 39 | | children, Gary Graham and his wife, Rachelle, and Gail Blair and her |
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| 40 | 40 | | husband, Howard; to his grandchildren, Trent Pruett and his wife, |
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| 41 | 41 | | Elise, Cody Blair and his wife, DeAnna, Kari Jacobs and her husband, |
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| 42 | 42 | | Paul, Shari Graham, Tyler Pruett, Mari Heckroth and her husband, |
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| 43 | 43 | | Keith, and Grace Graham; to his great-grandchildren; and to his |
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| 44 | 44 | | other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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| 45 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 46 | 46 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 47 | 47 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Gene |
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| 48 | 48 | | Graham. |
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| 49 | 49 | | Hunter |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1152 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 53 | 53 | | rising vote of the House on April 28, 2023. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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