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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of a respected educator drew to a close with |
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the passing of Dr. Dominic I. Lannutti, a longtime biology |
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professor at El Paso Community College, on April 24, 2020, at the |
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age of 55; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Chicago on September 21, 1964, Dominic |
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Lannutti was the son of James Michael Lannutti and Norma Gil; he |
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served his country as a member of the United States Army and he |
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later worked as a farmer in Fabens, Texas; at age 27, he decided to |
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enroll at El Paso Community College, where he became interested in |
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the life sciences and also discovered his love of research as a |
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member of the inaugural class of the Bridges to the Baccalaureate |
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Program; after graduating from EPCC in 1993, he earned his |
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bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at The University of |
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Texas at El Paso; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Lannutti went on to join the biology faculty at |
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EPCC, and he enjoyed a rewarding career with the school that spanned |
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more than 20 years; in addition to teaching specialized courses on |
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vertebrate zoology, invertebrate zoology, and botany, he served as |
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project director for the Bridges to the Baccalaureate Program, the |
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program that had nurtured his success when he was a college student; |
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especially committed to helping underserved students, he mentored |
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many young men of color through his work with the Tejano Empowerment |
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Network; along the way, he served his fellow educators with great |
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dedication as the biology faculty coordinator at the Valle Verde |
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campus, as the biology discipline district-wide coordinator, as the |
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chair of multiple discipline committees, and as a member of the |
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Faculty Senate; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Dr. Lannutti enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Adela, and he cherished his blended family, |
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which included his children, Kay, Christopher, Oddessa, and Alec, |
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his stepchildren, Aaron and Alyssa, and his five grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Greatly admired for his passion, energy, and |
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commitment to both his students and colleagues, Dr. Dominic |
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Lannutti left behind a legacy that will long be admired by all those |
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who were privileged to know him; 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 life of Dr. Dominic I. |
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Lannutti and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: |
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to his wife, Adela Lannutti; to his mother, Norma Gil; to his |
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sisters, Michelle Lannutti, Anne Balderrama, Alexandria Gil, and |
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Margo Lannutti; to his children, Kay, Christopher, and Alec |
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Lannutti, and Oddessa Dow; to his stepchildren, Aaron Arreola and |
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Alyssa Arreola; to his five grandchildren; and to his other |
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relatives and 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 |
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Dr. Dominic Lannutti. |