| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close with the |
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| 8 | 9 | | passing of Lyman Bartlett Hotchkiss of Midland on October 27, 2024, |
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| 9 | 10 | | at the age of 80; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The son of Dr. Dewitt H. Hotchkiss and Esther |
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| 11 | 12 | | Hotchkiss, Bart Hotchkiss was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on |
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| 12 | 13 | | November 24, 1943, and he grew up in Houston with the companionship |
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| 13 | 14 | | of his brother, Pete; he attended the Kinkaid School, and after |
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| 14 | 15 | | graduating from Culver Military Academy in Indiana, he continued |
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| 15 | 16 | | his education at Southwestern University, where he met his future |
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| 16 | 17 | | wife, the former Sharla Earl; the couple shared six decades of |
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| 17 | 18 | | marriage and welcomed into their family two children, Bret and |
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| 18 | 19 | | Erin, and three grandchildren, Brendan, Christopher, and |
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| 19 | 20 | | Elizabeth; and |
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| 20 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Hotchkiss worked in sales in Houston and Lubbock |
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| 21 | 22 | | following his graduation from college, and in 1971, he and his |
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| 22 | 23 | | family moved to Midland; in the ensuing years, he sold computers and |
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| 23 | 24 | | ran a garage door company; he also earned his real estate license |
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| 24 | 25 | | and began buying and selling properties, managing rentals, and |
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| 25 | 26 | | flipping houses alongside his wife; in 1983, he opened Murray's |
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| 26 | 27 | | Deli in downtown Midland, followed by several other locations and a |
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| 27 | 28 | | bakery, and he went on to establish a retail business called The |
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| 28 | 29 | | Fire Place before retiring; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Engaged in his community, Mr. Hotchkiss gave |
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| 30 | 31 | | generously of his time by volunteering with his church, local |
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| 31 | 32 | | schools and PTAs, and a number of other organizations, including |
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| 32 | 33 | | Hospice of Midland, Keep Midland Beautiful, Master Gardeners, the |
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| 33 | 34 | | Museum of the Southwest, and United Way; in addition, he served on |
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| 34 | 35 | | the Midland City Council and as mayor pro tempore, and he further |
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| 35 | 36 | | distinguished himself as chair of the Midland Planning and Zoning |
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| 36 | 37 | | Commission, chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission, and a |
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| 37 | 38 | | member of the Oil and Gas Advisory Committee; in his leisure hours, |
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| 38 | 39 | | he enjoyed traveling and spending time with his loved ones, and he |
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| 39 | 40 | | was known for his exceptional cooking skills; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Admired for his devotion to his family, his |
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| 41 | 42 | | generosity of spirit, and his joyous zest for life, Bart Hotchkiss |
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| 42 | 43 | | enriched the lives of all who knew him, and they will forever hold |
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| 43 | 44 | | him close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 45 | 46 | | hereby pay tribute to the memory of Lyman Bartlett Hotchkiss and |
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| 46 | 47 | | extend sincere condolences to his relatives and many friends; and, |
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| 47 | 48 | | be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 50 | 51 | | Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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| 51 | 52 | | Bart Hotchkiss. |
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