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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Judge Joe Spurlock II, former state representative, |
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trial and appellate court justice, and professor of law at Texas A&M |
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University, passed away on June 9, 2020, at the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on January 29, 1938, Joe Spurlock was the son of |
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Joe C. Spurlock, who served as a judge, and Clarice Spurlock, the |
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first woman elected to the Fort Worth City Council; he grew up with |
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the companionship of two sisters, Roma Sue and Kay, and a brother, |
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Dean; after earning an economics degree from Texas A&M University, |
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he went on to receive his juris doctor degree from The University of |
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Texas at Austin and his master of laws degree from the University of |
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Virginia; he also served with the United States Army in Vietnam and |
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was awarded the Bronze Star Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, Joe Spurlock enjoyed a highly successful career in |
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public service and academia; during his tenure on the bench, he |
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presided over the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth and |
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distinguished himself as a Tarrant County trial court judge, and he |
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also worked as an assistant criminal district attorney; moreover, |
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he was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1971 to |
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1977; over the course of his three terms in office, he served on an |
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array of committees, including those on state finance, oil and gas |
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regulation, and government affairs and efficiency, and he was |
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appointed vice chair of the rules and criminal jurisprudence |
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committees, among other important roles; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Spurlock became a founding faculty member of |
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the Texas A&M School of Law, and numerous students benefited from |
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his expertise and advice through the years; he was passionate about |
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the teaching of law, and he strove to provide aspiring attorneys |
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with a comprehensive education while also instilling in them traits |
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such as compassion and determination; legal reform was another of |
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his interests, and his efforts in that area included leading the |
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Asian Judicial Institute; affectionately called "Father Texas" at |
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the school of law, he was known for his signature cowboy hat and |
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boots; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Judge Spurlock drew strength |
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from the rewarding marriage that he shared with his wife, Cheri |
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Spurlock; he was the proud father of five children, Allison, |
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Kathryn, Suzanne, Nicole, and the late Joe Spurlock III, and he was |
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further blessed with eight grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Joe Spurlock was an esteemed jurist, legislator, and |
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educator, a beloved mentor, and a dear friend and colleague, and |
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through the countless lives he touched in these roles, he has left |
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behind a legacy that will long endure; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Judge Joe |
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Spurlock II and extend deepest sympathy to his relatives and |
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friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Judge Joe |
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Spurlock II. |