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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Charles Eugene Urdy of Austin, an esteemed |
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chemist, professor, and civic leader, passed away on October 16, |
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2024, at the age of 90; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of William Braxton Urdy and Roberta Pearl |
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Jackson Urdy, Charles Urdy was born in Georgetown on December 27, |
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1933, and he grew up with the companionship of 12 siblings; he |
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graduated from the old L. C. Anderson High School in Austin in 1950, |
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and he received a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Samuel Huston |
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College in 1954; answering his nation's call to duty, he joined the |
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U.S. Army Chemical Corps, and he served in the Korean War; in 1962, |
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he obtained a doctorate in physical analytical chemistry from The |
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University of Texas at Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Urdy served as a chemistry professor at North |
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Carolina College at Durham, Prairie View A&M University, and Texas |
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Southern University before enjoying a rewarding tenure at |
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Huston-Tillotson University that spanned more than two decades; |
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along the way, he was employed as a research chemist at Dow Chemical |
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in Freeport and later at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; |
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he went on to accept a position as manager of environmental science |
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and technical development at the Lower Colorado River Authority, |
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where he worked until his retirement in 1994; and |
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WHEREAS, First elected to the Austin City Council in 1981, |
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Dr. Urdy represented Place 6 for four terms, and he was named mayor |
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pro tem; he further distinguished himself as the first African |
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American man to serve as chair of the Austin housing authority |
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board, a post he held for 21 years; moreover, he chaired the Travis |
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County Juvenile Board citizens' advisory committee and the Black |
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Voters Action Project, and he was a longtime board chair of the |
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Austin Revitalization Authority, which named a public plaza in his |
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honor; he was also a member of the Austin Charter Revision Committee |
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and the Austin Tomorrow Goals Assembly; among his many |
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achievements, he was named the Outstanding Educator of America in |
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1975, and he received a community service award from the NAACP in |
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1971; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Urdy shared a rewarding marriage with his wife, |
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Margaret, that spanned more than five decades before her passing in |
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2013, and he took great pride in his three sons, Keith and Steven |
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Urdy, who preceded their father in death, and Christopher; over the |
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years, he had the pleasure of welcoming into his family many |
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grandchildren, nieces, and nephews; and |
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WHEREAS, Charles Urdy gave freely of his time and expertise |
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to better his community, and he leaves behind a record of service |
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that his loved ones can remember with pride; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Charles Eugene |
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Urdy and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends; and, |
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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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Charles |
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Urdy. |