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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Citizens of Paris, Texas, lost an admired community |
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leader with the passing of the Reverend James M. Elsom on February |
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15, 2009, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, James Elsom was born in Alvord on August 5, 1923, to |
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George M. Elsom and Goldie May Ledbetter Elsom; after graduating |
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from Pampa High School, he attended Texas A&M University and |
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Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, where he earned his |
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bachelor's and master's of divinity degrees; committed to the |
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service of others from an early age, he took time from his studies |
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to serve with the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater during |
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World War II; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1942, Mr. Elsom was joined in matrimony to the |
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former Maurice Conner, and together they were blessed with four |
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children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of strong and unswerving faith, Mr. Elsom |
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answered the call to the ministry in the mid-1950s; in 1964, |
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Reverend Elsom moved to Paris and began his pastorate at Ramseur |
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Baptist Church; over the course of his 14-year tenure there, the |
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church grew from a congregation of less than 200 to more than 700, |
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and it also moved to a spacious new sanctuary; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Elsom went on to found Victory Baptist |
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Church of Paris, where he spent his final years as a full-time |
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minister; he also helped found Combined Insurance Associates in |
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1989, and he served as a member of the Paris Chamber of Commerce; |
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named pastor emeritus of Ramseur Baptist Church nearly two years |
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ago, he remained active in the ministry late in life, continuing to |
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conduct weddings and funerals and share his wisdom with those in |
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need; and |
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WHEREAS, The Reverend Jim Elsom dedicated his life to his |
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faith, to his family, and to his community, and memories of him will |
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continue to inspire all those who were privileged to know him; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the life of the Reverend James M. Elsom and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Maurice Elsom; to his children, Linda Kay Wolfgang and her |
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husband, Fred, Gregg M. Elsom and his wife, Kim, and Barry L. Elsom |
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and his wife, Pat; to his grandchildren, Beth Keener, Jim |
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Ledbetter, Brad Rountree and his wife, Karin, Gail Blaylock and her |
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husband, John, and Cassie Elsom; to his great-grandchildren, Adam |
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Keener, Austin Blaylock, Jack Blaylock, Kyle Rountree, and Rachael |
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Rountree; and to his other relatives 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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the Reverend James M. Elsom. |