H.R. No. 442


R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the heartache felt at the loss of Dexter S. Kimble of Houston, who died in Iraq on January 26, 2005, at the age of 30; and WHEREAS, Assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Staff Sergeant Kimble was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq when he was killed in a helicopter crash near Ar Rutbah; his outstanding service in behalf of his country earned this courageous soldier a host of accolades, including the Air Medal; and WHEREAS, Born in Houston on October 27, 1974, Staff Sergeant Kimble joined the U.S. Marines at the age of 17 after graduating from M. B. Smiley High School; while stationed at Camp Pendleton, he met Dawanna Jenkins, whom he married on February 2, 1997; a devoted father, he cherished each moment that he spent with his children; and WHEREAS, Our state and our nation are fortunate to have young men and women whose love for their country inspires them to military service, yet the tragic death of this exemplary young man is a sobering reminder of the cost of war; Americans owe a profound debt to our nation's servicemen and servicewomen, whose valiant efforts and enormous sacrifices are deserving of their fellow citizens' deepest respect and gratitude; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Dexter Kimble is remembered by all who knew him for the greatness and generosity of his spirit; although he will be dearly missed, his love for his family and patriotism will not soon be forgotten; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas Legislature hereby honor the life of U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Dexter S. Kimble and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Dawanna Kimble; to his children, Estevan LaVondre, Raiya Erika-Andrea, Brennadonte Chazz, and Shakara Charlize Cherri Kimble and Shon Hughey; to his father, Willie Kimble; to his mother, Judy Kimble; to his brother, Sherwin Tongee; to his sisters, Erika and Andrea Kimble and Wendy Tongee; to his grandmother, Berniece Noel; to his nephew, Edward Joseph Tongee; and to his many other friends and relatives; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Staff Sergeant Dexter S. Kimble. Dutton Craddick Geren Menendez Allen of Harris Giddings Merritt Allen of Dallas Gonzales Miller Alonzo Gonzalez Toureilles Moreno of Harris Anchia Goodman Moreno of El Paso Anderson Goolsby Morrison Bailey Griggs Mowery Baxter Grusendorf Naishtat Berman Guillen Nixon Blake Haggerty Noriega Bohac Hamilton Oliveira Bonnen Hamric Olivo Branch Hardcastle Orr Brown of Kaufman Harper-Brown Otto Brown of Brazos Hartnett Paxton Burnam Hegar Pena Callegari Herrero Phillips Campbell Hilderbran Pickett Casteel Hill Pitts Castro Hochberg Puente Chavez Hodge Quintanilla Chisum Homer Raymond Coleman Hope Reyna Cook of Navarro Hopson Riddle Cook of Colorado Howard Ritter Corte Hughes Rodriguez Crabb Hunter Rose Crownover Hupp Seaman Davis of Harris Isett Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Jackson Smith of Harris Dawson Jones of Lubbock Smithee Delisi Jones of Dallas Solis Denny Keel Solomons Deshotel Keffer of Dallas Strama Driver Keffer of Eastland Straus Dukes King of Parker Swinford Dunnam King of Zavala Talton Dutton Kolkhorst Taylor Edwards Krusee Thompson Eiland Kuempel Truitt Eissler Laney Turner Elkins Laubenberg Uresti Escobar Leibowitz Van Arsdale Farabee Luna Veasey Farrar Madden Villarreal Flores Martinez Vo Flynn Martinez Fischer West Frost McCall Wong Gallego McClendon Woolley Gattis McReynolds Zedler ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 442 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 3, 2005. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House