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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Lee County are mourning the loss of a |
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beloved public servant with the death of Sheriff Joe G. Goodson on |
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April 7, 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, The youngest of five children, Joe Goodson was born |
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to Bertha Cottrell and Vernon A. Goodson of Dime Box on Valentine's |
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Day, 1944; he was a star football player at his high school in |
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Giddings, making All-District his sophomore year and All-Centex his |
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junior year; and |
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WHEREAS, After high school, he attended Blinn College, and in |
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1966 he married Brenda Harmel; their union lasted 32 years, until |
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her death in 1998; fortunate to find love again, he married Robyn |
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Mitschke on July 23, 2000; and |
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WHEREAS, Following in the footsteps of his father, who had |
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been the sheriff of Lee County for 25 years, Joe Goodson took office |
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in 1978; he placed a priority on upgrading the department's |
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equipment, acquiring patrol cars for officers who had previously |
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been using their own vehicles and ensuring that his staff had the |
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latest communications technology and investigative tools at their |
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disposal; and |
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WHEREAS, In the course of his 29 years as Lee County sheriff, |
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he earned a well-deserved reputation among his colleagues and his |
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community for his fairness and decency; while upholding the highest |
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standards of law enforcement, he also found time to attend funerals |
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in support of grieving families and frequently stopped by the homes |
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of those who were ill; and |
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WHEREAS, Sheriff Goodson's service to Lee County expressed |
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itself in many ways; he initiated the drug-and-alcohol-free party |
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for graduating high school seniors known as Grad Bash, and he was in |
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charge of the Blue Santa Program for 20 years; he also served on the |
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board of directors of the Giddings Area Chamber of Commerce and was |
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active in the March of Dimes; and |
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WHEREAS, He contributed greatly to his profession as |
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president of the Sheriffs' Association of Texas and as a member of |
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various committees of that organization, including the Auto Theft |
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Task Force, the Narcotics Task Force, and the Cold Case Review Team; |
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he headed the Lee County Sheriff's Posse and served on the Attorney |
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General's County Advisory Committee; and |
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WHEREAS, Sheriff Goodson's dedication and commitment were |
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honored by such awards as the YRA Hall of Fame Award, the Peacemaker |
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Award, and the Master Peace Officer Award; in 1990 he was named |
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Giddings Citizen of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted father and husband, Joe Goodson cherished |
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his family and took great pleasure in his grandchildren, with whom |
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he shared many happy times; a lover of the outdoors, he was an |
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accomplished gardener who gave away much of what he grew, and he was |
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also an expert cook of barbecue and chili and an elder and usher at |
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Dime Box Brethren Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Joe Goodson combined consummate professionalism |
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with a deep compassion for his fellow citizens, preserving the |
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peace and protecting the public in Lee County for nearly 30 years; a |
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familiar and reassuring presence in his cowboy hat and spotless |
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white shirt, he commanded widespread respect while earning the |
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genuine affection of his family, colleagues, friends, and |
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community; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the life of Sheriff Joe G. Goodson and |
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extend heartfelt condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Robyn Goodson; to his son, Walt A. Goodson and his wife, |
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Melissa; to his daughters, Jill and her husband, John P. Campbell, |
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and Sarah Jane and her husband, Scott Miller; to his grandchildren, |
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Erin, Zane, Caroline, and Jack; to his stepchildren, Crystal |
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Gray-Morris, Jason Mitschke, Margie Nunes, and Aaron Mitschke and |
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their children; to his brother, Charles Goodson; to his sisters, |
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Mary Frances Symmank and her husband, Ben Charles, and Verna Shaw |
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and her husband, Bill; to his sisters-in-law, Betty Goodson and |
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Sharon Scott; to his brother-in-law, Aubrey Harmel and his wife, |
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Evelyn; to his mother-in-law, Nellie Harmel; to his mother and |
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father-in-law, Betty and Ken Beasley; and to his other relatives |
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and 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 Sheriff |
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Goodson. |
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Cook of Colorado |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1661 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 11, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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