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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Retired United States Air Force Colonel Andrew Gid |
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Terry Jr. of Longview passed away on June 10, 2023, at the age of 89, |
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bringing a great loss to his family and friends; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Bessie Irene Turner and Andrew Gid |
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Terry Sr., Gid Terry was born in Greenville, Mississippi, on |
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February 5, 1934; he worked his way through Mississippi State |
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University, where he was a student leader and member of the Air |
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Force ROTC; after completing his bachelor's degree in business, he |
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was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the USAF and began pilot |
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training; he married the former Elizabeth Ann Noble in December |
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1955 and they became the parents of two daughters, Debbie and Lisa, |
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as well as a son, Gid, who tragically lived for only one day; and |
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WHEREAS, Colonel Terry's career spanned three decades and |
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took him and his family to seven different states and two foreign |
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countries; he served in all three of the air force's command |
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divisions at the time, and during the Vietnam War, he flew missions |
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in the Military Airlift Command, carrying supplies and sometimes |
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transporting combat troops or airlifting the wounded; later |
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assigned to the Strategic Air Command, he was named deputy |
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commander of maintenance at Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento, |
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California; he took great pride in the achievements of the |
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maintenance squadrons as well as the pilots of that Reconnaissance |
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Wing and earned their admiration and affection; moreover, he became |
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one of the elite few to fly the SR-71; following his retirement in |
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1985, he and his wife settled in Marshall; they were very active in |
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their church and community and formed many wonderful friendships |
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through the Marshall Lions Club; Mrs. Terry preceded her husband in |
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death; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Gid Terry is greatly missed by those he has |
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left behind, they will continue to find inspiration in his warmth, |
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kindness, and dedication; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature, 3rd |
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Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Air Force |
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Colonel (Ret.) Andrew Gid Terry Jr. and extend sincere sympathy to |
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the members of his family: to his daughters, Debbie Hembree and Lisa |
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Constantine and her husband, Gene; to his grandchildren, Lance |
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Spott, Courtney Rogers, and Micah, Leah, and Hannah Constantine; to |
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his great-grandchildren, Sydney and Connor Spott and Samantha |
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Rogers; and to his other 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 Senate adjourns this |
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day, it do so in memory of Colonel Gid Terry. |