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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life well lived may comfort the family |
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and friends of J. T. Devenport of Austin, who passed away on |
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November 1, 2006; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on August 9, 1933, in Pilot Point, Tom |
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Devenport graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1951 and went |
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on to attend Texas A&M University, where he lettered three years in |
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swimming and earned a bachelor's degree in 1955; following |
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graduation, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army before joining |
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his family's variety store business in Dallas; some years later, he |
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returned to his hometown and began a career as a savings and loan |
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executive; he retired in 1999 as a stock broker with RBC Dain |
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Rauscher; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Devenport was dedicated to the success of his |
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East Texas community through his involvement in the Jacksonville |
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Chamber of Commerce and the Jacksonville Rotary Club, both of which |
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he served as president, and the Region VII Education Service |
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Center, which he served as a member of the board; moreover, he was |
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campaign chairman of the 1978 Jacksonville United Fund drive, and |
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in 1983, he helped raise more than $500,000 for a new Jacksonville |
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Public Library building; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted husband and father, Mr. Devenport shared |
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more than 46 years with his wife, the former Virginia Nash, and the |
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couple were blessed with three sons, John, Robert, and James; |
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Mr. Devenport became a committed member of Boy Scouts of America |
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when his children were young and remained active in the |
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organization, including as a troop leader on the regional level, |
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long after they were grown; he was honored for his service with the |
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District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan was a longtime member of First |
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Christian Church in Jacksonville, where he became the church's |
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youngest elder and twice served as board chairman; after moving to |
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Austin in retirement, he and his wife sang in the choir of the |
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University United Methodist Church; in addition, he volunteered his |
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time as a docent for the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, |
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and he was a senior active member and Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary |
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International; and |
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WHEREAS, Tom Devenport was a gifted leader who brought |
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enthusiasm and integrity to bear on all his endeavors; although he |
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will be deeply missed, he will be remembered with great affection by |
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all those fortunate to have shared in the blessing of his life; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of J. T. Devenport and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Virginia Nash Devenport; to his sons, John Devenport, Jr., and his |
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wife, Amy, Robert Devenport, and his wife, Trisha, and James |
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Devenport, and his wife, Andrea; to his grandchildren, Nash, |
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Zachary, Henry, and Benjamin Devenport and J. T. Devenport III; to |
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his sister, Dr. Elaine Clary; and to his other relatives and many |
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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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of |
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J. T. Devenport. |