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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The life of an admired rancher, businessman, and |
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civic leader drew to a close with the passing of James Ratliff Hurt |
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Sr. of Ector County on November 2, 2023, at the age of 93; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Mary Ratliff Hurt and Sam Fuqua Hurt Sr., |
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"Buzz" Hurt was born on April 29, 1930, in Austin; he and his |
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brother, Sam, grew up on the ranch founded by their grandparents in |
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northeastern Ector County, and it remained his home for most of his |
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life; after graduating from Odessa High School, he attended The |
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University of Texas at Austin until his father's death in 1950, when |
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he returned home to manage Ratliff Ranch; he played an active role |
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in developing the petroleum reserves under his land and ran |
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numerous companies, among them Z-Bar Ranch and Cattle Company, |
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Ratliff Ranch Development Company, PBP Fabrication, Incorporated, |
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and Eureka Prospecting Company; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Hurt wed Freddie Jean Wheeler in 1950, and they |
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were blessed with four children, Mary Helen, Jay, Joe, and Sally; in |
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1983, he married the former Betsy Triplett, and during their |
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39-year marriage, they enjoyed their common interests of travel, |
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serving their community, and caring for their many dogs and cats; a |
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skilled baker of artisanal bread, Mr. Hurt delighted in giving away |
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loaves and teaching others the craft; he was also a talented |
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aviator, competing in aerobatics and earning recognition as a |
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Master Pilot from the Federal Aviation Administration; and |
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WHEREAS, Furthering his family's tradition of civic |
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engagement, Mr. Hurt served as a charter member of the Ector County |
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Airport board and a trustee of the Ector County Independent School |
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District; he volunteered with such organizations as the Sandhills |
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Hereford and Quarter Horse Show and Championship Rodeo, the Ector |
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County Livestock Show, and Globe of the Great Southwest; in |
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addition, he and his family donated land for Ratliff Stadium, |
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Ratliff Ranch Golf Links, the Bridge United Methodist Church, City |
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of Odessa Fire Station No. 9, and three roadway rights-of-way; he |
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was named the 1985 Heritage of Odessa Community Statesman for |
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Ranching, and he and Betsy Hurt were named the 1996 Citizens of the |
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Year by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce and 2020 Friend of the Arts |
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honorees by Odessa Arts; Mr. Hurt was a member of Wesley United |
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Methodist Community Group and brought communion bread to the group |
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the day before he died; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply dedicated to his family and his community, |
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Buzz Hurt earned the lasting respect and admiration of all who were |
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privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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4th Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of James Ratliff |
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Hurt Sr. and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: |
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to his wife of 39 years, Betsy Hurt; to his children, Mary Helen |
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Johnson, Joseph Stewart Hurt and his wife, Sherry, and Sally Beth |
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Bolton and her husband, Toya; to Vickie Hurt, the widow of his son, |
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Jay; to his 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; and to his |
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other relatives and many 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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Buzz Hurt Sr. |