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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1
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In Memory |
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of |
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Ervin Clower |
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever cherish their |
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memories of Ervin Gafford Clower of the Lake Devernia community in |
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Longview, who passed away on May 6, 2023, at the age of 102; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Johnathan Shelby Clower and Virginia |
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Lee Gafford Clower, Ervin Clower was born in Paducah on |
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November 9, 1920, and he grew up with the companionship of five |
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siblings, Earl, Johnathan, Virginia, Mary Anna, and Alice |
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Cathryn; he graduated from Matador High School in 1939; and |
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WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty, Mr. Clower |
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joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in January 1943, and he served in |
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Italy during World War II; a flight engineer and gunner on the Merry |
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Barbara aircraft, his assignments included a bombing mission over |
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Ploesti, Romania, that resulted in an emergency landing in the |
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Adriatic Sea; after surviving 24 hours in the ocean, he was rescued |
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by a fisherman and taken to Bari, Italy; he was discharged in |
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September 1945 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the |
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Purple Heart, and the Air Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning to Texas, Mr. Clower earned a |
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bachelor's degree in geology from Texas Christian University; he |
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went on to enjoy a rewarding career with Natural Gas Pipeline, |
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where he worked as a geologist for many years before his |
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retirement in 1980; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Clower shared a fulfilling union with his |
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wife, the former Ouita Lois Burrell, that spanned seven decades |
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before her passing; he took great pride in their three children, |
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Daniel, David, and Lynda, and over the years, he was further |
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blessed with seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply dedicated to his family and his country, |
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Ervin Clower earned the lasting respect and admiration of all who |
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were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
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of Ervin Gafford Clower and extend heartfelt sympathy to the |
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members of his family: to his sister, Alice Cathryn Gazaway; to |
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his sons, Daniel Clower and his wife, Nicholette, and David |
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Clower and his partner, Martin Hart; to his daughter, Lynda |
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Clower and her husband, Jim Andree; to his grandchildren and |
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great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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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 Senate adjourns |
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this day, it do so in memory of Ervin Clower. |
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Hughes |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on June 28, 2023, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |