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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Texas lost a greatly admired |
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businessman, philanthropist, and patron of the arts with the |
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passing of Raymond D. Nasher of Dallas on March 16, 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Boston in 1921, Raymond Nasher was the son of |
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European immigrants, who encouraged his interest in the arts from |
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an early age; he enjoyed piano lessons at a branch of the Juilliard |
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School of Music while growing up in New York, as his parents strove |
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to provide him with opportunities unavailable to them in their own |
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youth; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Nasher graduated with honors from Duke |
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University and went on to serve his country as a United States Navy |
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lieutenant during World War II; he later earned a master's degree in |
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economics from Boston University and in 1948, he met the love of his |
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life, Patsy Rabinowitz; the two were soon married and in 1950, they |
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settled in her hometown of Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, A prominent residential and commercial real estate |
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developer, he oversaw the establishment of one of the most |
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successful business ventures in the Lone Star State; NorthPark |
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Center was opened in 1965, and it thrived thanks to the vision of |
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Raymond Nasher; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1967, Mrs. Nasher gave her husband his first |
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major sculpture, a Jean Arp torso, and her thoughtful gift sparked a |
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passion that would shape the remainder of his life as well as the |
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landscape of the city of Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Together with his wife, Mr. Nasher developed what is |
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widely regarded as the most important private collection of modern |
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sculpture in the world; long committed to sharing these treasures |
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with the public, he commissioned two acclaimed design |
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professionals, architect Renzo Piano and landscape architect Peter |
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Walker, to create a state-of-the-art museum featuring superb indoor |
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galleries and a stunning outdoor sculpture garden; and |
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WHEREAS, The Nasher Sculpture Center was opened in October |
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2003; situated on a prominent 2.4-acre site across from the Dallas |
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Museum of Art, the collection features more than 300 works by such |
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notable artists as Alexander Calder, Roy Lichtenstein, Henri |
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Matisse, and Pablo Picasso; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to his work with the Nasher Center, this |
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esteemed Texan advised the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, |
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Italy, on the design of its new sculpture garden, made regular loans |
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to the National Gallery, and contributed $7.5 million toward a |
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museum at his alma mater, Duke University; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Nasher's expertise and enthusiasm were |
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renowned, and he was named to the President's Committee on the Arts |
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and Humanities by President George H. W. Bush, President Bill |
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Clinton, and President George W. Bush; the founder of the Dallas |
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Business Committee for the Arts, he further shared his time with the |
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board of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Dallas Opera, the Dallas |
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Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Theater Center, Ballet Dallas, and |
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the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; moreover, he served on the |
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International Council of the Tate Gallery in London and the |
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National Council of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; and |
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WHEREAS, A dedicated supporter of governmental affairs as |
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well, he served the Lyndon B. Johnson administration as chair of the |
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National Commission of Urban Development, executive director of the |
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White House Conference on International Cooperation, a member of |
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the United States-German Cooperative Delegation, and U.S. delegate |
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to the General Assembly of the United Nations; in later years, he |
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was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations on the National |
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Council of the United Nations Association of the USA; and |
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WHEREAS, His interest in politics and civic engagement led |
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him to establish the Nasher Forum, a lecture series that addresses |
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compelling, contemporary social and ethical issues, aiming to |
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stimulate thought, debate, and action; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Nasher's remarkable life was shaped by a love of |
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beauty and a desire to enhance an appreciation of artistic |
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expression among all members of society; his enduring gift to this |
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world is the preservation and presentation of forms and |
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constructions that mirror the human condition, evoke passionate |
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response, and stir the soul; although he will be profoundly missed |
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by family and friends, Raymond Nasher leaves behind an exceptional |
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legacy of good works that will benefit generations of Texans for |
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years to come; now, 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 Raymond D. Nasher and |
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extend sincere sympathy to his daughters, Andrea, Joanie, and Nancy |
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Nasher, to his three grandchildren, and to his many friends and |
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admirers around the world; 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 Raymond D. |
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Nasher. |
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McCall |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1275 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 13, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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