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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 67
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WHEREAS, The 95th birthday of an esteemed member of the |
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Greatest Generation is indeed cause for celebration, and Donald |
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Gene Davidson of Brenham is marking this milestone in his life on |
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December 7, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Mary Pauline and William Davidson, Don |
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Davidson was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1928; he served |
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as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division at the |
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end of World War II, taking part in the occupation of Japan; after |
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receiving his honorable discharge, he earned his bachelor's |
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degree in industrial management at Oklahoma State University; he |
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wed the former Patricia "Patsy" Sue Paschall on June 1, 1950, and |
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they became the proud parents of a son, Greg; through the years, |
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their treasured family grew to include a daughter-in-law, Donna |
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Garcia Davidson, and a granddaughter, Mary Grace Davidson; |
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Mr. and Mrs. Davidson shared a fulfilling 64-year relationship |
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until her passing in 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Davidson began his career with Standard Oil |
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of Indiana, and in the late 1950s, he was involved in opening up |
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new oil fields in the U.S. and the Persian Gulf; switching to the |
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aerospace industry in the 1960s, he worked on the Polaris, |
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Ranger, and Minuteman programs for Hercules Powder Company in |
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Salt Lake City and on the design and testing phase of Apollo Lunar |
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Excursion Module components for Brown Engineering Company; |
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later, he returned to the energy sector and helped to establish a |
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communication platform along the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline; he |
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retired from Atlantic Richfield Company in 1986 to focus on |
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raising Longhorn cattle at Grand Ranch; in addition, he had two |
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other family businesses, Mail Courier Express and Pee Dee |
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Patterns, where he was both owner and artist; he also starred in |
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Walking Away, an award-winning independent movie; and |
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WHEREAS, A prolific author, Mr. Davidson wrote a novel about |
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the Greatest Generation, as well as a 670-page history of the |
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Davidson family, tracing it from 14th Century Scotland to modern |
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America; he has been an active blogger for 15 years, recording his |
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insights in "The View from Grand Ranch: The Ramblings and |
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Ruminations of an Octogenarian"; very active in the Republican |
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Party, he has served as an election judge and precinct worker; he |
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maintained his vigorous fitness regimen well into his 90s; and |
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WHEREAS, Respected and admired by all who are privileged to |
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know him, Don Davidson may reflect with great satisfaction on a |
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lifetime of achievement, and it is a pleasure to join his friends |
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and loved ones in honoring him on this memorable occasion; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby congratulate Donald Gene |
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Davidson on his 95th birthday and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Davidson as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |
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Kolkhorst |
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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 October 31, 2023. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |