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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of Francis John Morin on March 13, 2007, |
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at the age of 78, has deeply saddened the family and friends of this |
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well-respected and accomplished El Paso resident; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Medicine Lake, Montana, on November 11, |
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1928, of American Indian descent, Mr. Morin joined the U.S. Army |
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when he was about 18 and did two tours of duty in Korea; as a young |
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soldier, he earned the nickname "Flip" because of his impressive |
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dives from the high board of the base swimming pool, and the name |
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remained with him; and |
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WHEREAS, It was in the army that Flip Morin got his start as a |
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journalist, gaining the skills and honing the sensibility that |
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would serve him well for the rest of his life; early on, he worked |
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with the armed forces' Far East Network (FEN) in Tokyo, and he later |
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covered the army's modern pentathlon team at the 1964 Tokyo |
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Olympics; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Morin retired from the army in 1968 after 22 |
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years of active duty and joined the staff of the El Paso Times, |
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where he served for a decade as the golf editor and covered track |
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and field at The University of Texas at El Paso; he subsequently |
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took a civil service post as an editor with the Department of |
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Defense; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving the DoD, Flip Morin continued to write |
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about local and regional sports and also exercised his craft in |
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connection with such events as the Terry Bradshaw/Jim McMahon |
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cancer treatment golf tournaments, the Sun Bowl, and the El Paso |
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Golf Hall of Fame; published numerous times as a freelance writer, |
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he additionally focused on topics related to his Native American |
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heritage; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the traits that contributed to Mr. Morin's |
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success as a journalist were his friendly demeanor and the immense |
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pleasure that he took in working with other people; those same |
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qualities also contributed to the formation of lifelong |
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friendships, including enduring bonds with such notable figures as |
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Lee Trevino, Don Haskins, and his former colleague at FEN, Jamie |
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Farr; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Morin gave generously of his time to the |
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congregation of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, where he served |
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as an usher, and to patients at William Beaumont Army Medical Center |
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in El Paso, where he volunteered extensively with the American Red |
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Cross; in 2003, the Red Cross honored him with its Volunteer of the |
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Year award; and |
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WHEREAS, Flip Morin's great love for his family, his friends, |
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and those he met along life's journey was grounded in his unwavering |
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Christian faith, and he is remembered with deep fondness by all who |
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knew and treasured him; 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 Francis John Morin and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his beloved |
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wife of 53 years, Marie; to his children, Francine Greeson, Jamie |
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Morin, and Philip Morin; to his grandchildren, Andrew, Adrienne, |
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Patrick, McKenna, and Brennan; 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 Flip Morin. |
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Haggerty |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1429 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 19, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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