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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life came to a close with the |
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passing of El Paso resident Dwight Shewmaker on April 30, 2007, at |
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the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Oklahoma in 1922, "Shew" Shewmaker was |
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raised in the Kansas communities of Madison and Gridley; he bravely |
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served his country during World War II as a combat engineer officer |
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in Italy, where he met Tina deBernardis, with whom he would share |
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nearly 55 years of a loving marriage, until her death in 2001; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his return to civilian life, |
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Mr. Shewmaker took a position with Continental Illinois Bank before |
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returning to active service during the Korean War; in 1956, he |
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relocated to El Paso, where he worked at Fort Bliss and was a |
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respected expert in the electronics of guided missile systems until |
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officially retiring from the military; and |
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WHEREAS, Embarking on a new chapter in his already |
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accomplished career, Mr. Shewmaker earned bachelor's and master's |
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degrees in business administration, as well as a certified public |
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accountant's certificate; he also enjoyed a tenure as a creative |
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computer programmer at El Paso National Bank, in addition to |
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running his own CPA practice, teaching at several area |
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universities, and working as controller with Ammons Boot Company; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Shewmaker was a longtime champion of the arts in |
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El Paso and an active participant in many civic and professional |
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organizations; he served on the board of Ballet El Paso for many |
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years, gave of his time and talents to the Service Committee of |
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Retired Executives, and was highly involved with the |
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Unitarian/Universalist Community of El Paso; and |
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WHEREAS, Above all else, this esteemed Texan will be |
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remembered for his devotion to helping others, his desire to |
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promote equality, and his capacity for seeing the innate goodness |
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in everyone, and he leaves behind an inspiring legacy for all who |
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were privileged to know 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 Dwight Lee Shewmaker |
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and extend sympathy to the members of his family: to his children, |
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James Shewmaker and his wife, Susan, and Suzy Hicks and her husband, |
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Steve; to his grandchildren, Steve Shewmaker and his wife, Patti, |
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Frank Shewmaker, and Kelly Fairfield and her husband, Bryan; to his |
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great-grandchildren, Tuscan and Oliver Fairfield; to his siblings, |
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Carl Shewmaker and his wife, Emily, and Genevieve Duncan and her |
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husband, Gary; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be |
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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 "Shew" |
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Shewmaker. |