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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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a close with the passing of the Honorable Arthur L. Fort of Longview |
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on February 19, 2021, at the age of 84; and |
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WHEREAS, A third-generation Texan, Arthur Fort was born in |
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San Antonio on August 24, 1936, to Foster and Jean Fort; he moved |
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with his family to Longview in 1938, and he grew up with five |
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siblings, Foster, Lee, Gene, Mary, and Sandra; during his youth, he |
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learned the value of hard work and service to others by taking on a |
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job carrying water to city crews that were laying the water line in |
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front of St. Anthony Catholic Church; he graduated from Longview |
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High School in 1956; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1958, Mr. Fort joined the Longview Police |
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Department, embarking on a long and fulfilling career in public |
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service; he went on to secure employment with Alcoa in Marshall and |
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then returned to law enforcement as a sheriff's deputy before being |
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elected justice of the peace for Gregg County Precinct 2 in 1996; he |
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demonstrated exceptional dedication to his responsibilities over |
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the course of his 18-year tenure, which ended with his retirement in |
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2014; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Fort shared a rewarding marriage with his |
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wife, Sue Cumbie Fort, that spanned nearly half a century until her |
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death in 2006, and he was the devoted father of two sons, Billy and |
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Lyle; engaged with his community, he was an active member of the |
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Knights of Pythias of Texas and the Longview Jaycees, and on Sundays |
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he could be found welcoming congregants at the First Baptist |
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Church, which he had faithfully attended since childhood; and |
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WHEREAS, While the passing of Judge Arthur Fort brings great |
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sadness to his loved ones, he leaves behind a legacy that will long |
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be treasured by all those who held him dear; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of Arthur L. Fort and extend |
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heartfelt sympathy to his 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Judge Arthur Fort. |