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| 6 | 7 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, A rich and purposeful life drew to a close on May 3, |
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| 8 | 9 | | 2024, with the passing of Clyde Vance Dunnam of Waco at the age of |
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| 9 | 10 | | 94; and |
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| 10 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Born in Waco on November 6, 1929, Vance Dunnam grew |
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| 11 | 12 | | up in Speegleville and graduated from Waco High School; he earned |
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| 12 | 13 | | his bachelor's degree from Baylor University in 1951 and his juris |
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| 13 | 14 | | doctor degree from Baylor Law School the following year; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, After obtaining his admission to the bar and a short |
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| 15 | 16 | | stint working for a Houston oil company, Mr. Dunnam joined his |
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| 16 | 17 | | father and brother at Dunnam & Dunnam, LLP, where he worked for |
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| 17 | 18 | | seven decades; over the course of his career, he earned a reputation |
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| 18 | 19 | | as one of the most skilled and successful trial attorneys in Central |
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| 19 | 20 | | Texas; he served as a mentor to hundreds of colleagues and further |
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| 20 | 21 | | contributed to his professional community as president of the |
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| 21 | 22 | | McLennan County Junior Bar Association and the Waco-McLennan County |
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| 22 | 23 | | Bar Association; through the years, he had the pleasure of |
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| 23 | 24 | | practicing with a number of family members, and he worked up until |
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| 24 | 25 | | the last weeks of his life; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, In 1952, Mr. Dunnam married Vicki Hohertz, and they |
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| 26 | 27 | | shared in the joy of raising three children, Vance, Cathy, and Jim; |
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| 27 | 28 | | after his wife's death in 1995, he found love again with Merrilee |
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| 28 | 29 | | Lafferty Harmon, whom he wed in 1997; with the passing years, he |
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| 29 | 30 | | delighted in watching his cherished family grow to include numerous |
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| 30 | 31 | | grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and |
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| 31 | 32 | | WHEREAS, Active in his community, Mr. Dunnam held leadership |
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| 32 | 33 | | positions in several organizations, including the Scottish Rite, |
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| 33 | 34 | | the York Rite, and the Karem Shrine as well as the Waco Jaycees and |
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| 34 | 35 | | the Knights of Pythias; he was also a man of faith and a lifelong |
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| 35 | 36 | | member of the Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday school for |
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| 36 | 37 | | many years; in his leisure time, he enjoyed cattle and hay ranching, |
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| 37 | 38 | | sailing, riding his motorcycle, fly-fishing, beekeeping, hunting, |
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| 38 | 39 | | and any time that he could spend with his children and |
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| 39 | 40 | | grandchildren; and |
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| 40 | 41 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dunnam especially took pride in the history and |
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| 41 | 42 | | success of Dunnam & Dunnam, LLP, where he worked for most of his |
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| 42 | 43 | | career, even up until a few weeks before his passing, and he truly |
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| 43 | 44 | | loved the fact that he successfully instilled the same pride in his |
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| 44 | 45 | | children and grandchildren; and |
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| 45 | 46 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Dunnam could not have been more loyal to his |
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| 46 | 47 | | lifelong friends and employees, no matter their politics, race, or |
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| 47 | 48 | | religion; in addition, he also worked tirelessly to mend all fences |
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| 48 | 49 | | with those who might have become estranged; and |
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| 49 | 50 | | WHEREAS, Although Vance Dunnam is deeply missed, memories of |
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| 50 | 51 | | his wisdom, his sense of humor, and his generosity remain to comfort |
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| 51 | 52 | | and inspire those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it |
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| 52 | 53 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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| 53 | 54 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Clyde Vance Dunnam and |
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| 54 | 55 | | extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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| 55 | 56 | | Merrilee L. Harmon; to his children, Vance Dunnam Jr. and his wife, |
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| 56 | 57 | | Irma, Cathy Dunnam Pleitz and her husband, Dan, and Jim Dunnam and |
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| 57 | 58 | | his wife, Michelle; to his grandchildren, Vanessa, Jennifer, |
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| 58 | 59 | | Stephanie, Joshua, Jacob, Jordan, Lauren, Mason, and Rachel; to his |
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| 59 | 60 | | 12 great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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| 60 | 61 | | and, be it further |
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| 61 | 62 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 62 | 63 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 63 | 64 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Vance |
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| 64 | 65 | | Dunnam. |
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