By Averitt H.R. No. 358 74R7309 PFG-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Chief Hospitalman Winfred Eugene Watkins will retire 1-2 from the United States Naval Reserve on March 11, 1995, drawing to 1-3 a close 20 years of outstanding service to his country as a 1-4 reservist in our nation's armed forces; and 1-5 WHEREAS, This patriotic gentleman first embarked on his 1-6 military career in 1962 when he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve while 1-7 still a student at Huston-Tillotson College in Austin; reporting 1-8 for boot camp at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, 1-9 California, he completed basic training and returned to Austin to 1-10 resume his studies before being called to active duty in the fall 1-11 of 1964; and 1-12 WHEREAS, Assigned to the Hospitalman Corps School at Balboa 1-13 Naval Hospital in San Diego, he excelled at his studies, serving as 1-14 class adjutant and graduating at the head of his class; he went on 1-15 to serve in the cardiology ward at Portsmouth Naval Hospital in 1-16 Virginia where he earned a promotion to the rank of Second Class 1-17 Petty Officer and later served in the hospital's postsurgical ward 1-18 until his discharge from active duty in 1966; and 1-19 WHEREAS, After returning home to Waco, Chief Watkins enhanced 1-20 the practical training he had received in the military by earning a 1-21 bachelor's degree from Paul Quinn College and, shortly thereafter, 1-22 accepted a position as a medical technologist with the Waco 1-23 Clinical Pathology Laboratory; and 1-24 WHEREAS, Chief Watkins earned a master's degree in 2-1 microbiology from Baylor University in 1972 and this important 2-2 educational achievement marked the beginning of a successful and 2-3 rewarding new aspect to his medical career as an instructor of 2-4 microbiology and biology; today, this highly regarded educator is 2-5 in his 14th year of teaching at McLennan Community College and also 2-6 is completing his second decade of service with the reserves, 2-7 having reenlisted as a reservist in Waco in 1980; and 2-8 WHEREAS, During his latest tenure in the military, Chief 2-9 Watkins has ably served his country at posts with the USS Texas, 2-10 Beaufort Naval Hospital, and Fleet Hospital 21 Headquarters, and he 2-11 also has provided outstanding medical support for the U.S. Marine 2-12 Corps Reserve in Waco; and 2-13 WHEREAS, On the homefront, Chief Watkins has enjoyed a happy 2-14 and rewarding marriage with his wife of 30 years, the former Erna 2-15 Mayberry, and their marriage has been blessed by a daughter, Sharon 2-16 Denise Watkins-Jones, a graduate of The University of Texas at 2-17 Austin, a son, Andre Eugene Watkins, who is following in his 2-18 father's footsteps as a member of the U.S. Navy, and most recently, 2-19 a darling new grandson, Shawn Nika Watkins; and 2-20 WHEREAS, Throughout the course of his exemplary career, Chief 2-21 Hospitalman Winfred E. Watkins has adhered to the highest standards 2-22 of integrity, leadership, and professional excellence, and he is 2-23 indeed deserving of special praise and recognition on the momentous 2-24 occasion of his retirement from the reserves; now, therefore, be it 2-25 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 2-26 Legislature hereby commend Chief Hospitalman Winfred Eugene Watkins 2-27 for his outstanding service as a member of the United States Naval 3-1 Reserve and extend sincere best wishes to him for continued 3-2 happiness and success in the future; and, be it further 3-3 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-4 prepared for Chief Watkins as an expression of highest regard by 3-5 the Texas House of Representatives.