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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, A full and productive life drew to a close with the |
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passing of educator William S. Long of Hopkins County on April 6, |
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2009, at the age of 96; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Samuel and Edith Long, "Pete" Long was |
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born in Addran on January 25, 1913, and was a lifelong Hopkins |
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County resident; after graduating from Sulphur Springs High School, |
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he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from East Texas State |
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Teachers College in Commerce and began his career as the only |
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instructor at a school in Macedonia; on June 1, 1935, he married the |
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former Evelyn "Eva" Ruth Chapman, a fellow educator, and they later |
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became the parents of four children; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Long taught in Addran and Birthright and was |
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instrumental in the consolidation of their schools in the North |
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Hopkins Independent School District in the early 1940s; in |
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addition, he taught aviation electronics as a civilian instructor |
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at Sheppard Field during World War II; he served North Hopkins ISD |
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as a teacher, coach, and principal before becoming superintendent, |
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a position he held for 35 years; to the faculty and staff, he and his |
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wife were "Mr. Pete" and "Miss Ruth", and the couple fostered a |
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family atmosphere, organizing monthly restaurant outings and |
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hosting Christmas parties at their home; and |
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WHEREAS, A caring mentor and exemplary role model, Mr. Long |
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encouraged participation in athletics, agriculture, and other |
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activities, even chauffeuring students to basketball games and to |
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livestock shows as far away as Houston; he won the lasting respect |
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and admiration of his students, who continued to pay visits to the |
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Longs at their home after they had retired; their son, Tommy, became |
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district superintendent in 1988; and |
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WHEREAS, In his retirement, Pete Long remained an |
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enthusiastic fan of the North Hopkins Panthers and supported them |
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with regular attendance at ball games; he was also a farmer and |
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cattle rancher, and he and Mrs. Long enjoyed traveling together |
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with friends and family until her death in 1999; and |
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WHEREAS, This dedicated professional held lifetime |
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memberships in the Parent-Teacher Association, the Texas State |
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Teachers Association, the Texas Retired Teachers Association, and |
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the Texas Association of School Administrators, and he served on |
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the boards of the Hopkins County Civic Center and the Region VIII |
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Service Center; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Long was also an active member of his community, |
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serving as chair of Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County Crime Stoppers |
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and as a charter member of the local chapter of Golden K Kiwanis; |
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among other civic contributions, he participated in the Rural Urban |
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Organization, which named him Outstanding Citizen in 1986; his |
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numerous other accolades included recognition as an Outstanding |
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Older Texan by Governor Bill Clements; moreover, for nearly 70 |
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years, he was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Sulphur Springs, and |
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the Master Mason was also a valued member of North Hopkins Baptist |
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Church, where he was a deacon and longtime Sunday school teacher; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Pete Long left a lasting imprint on countless lives |
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through his commitment to education and to his community, and |
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memories of this beloved Texan will forever be treasured by all |
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those who were fortunate enough to know him; now, 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 William S. Long and extend deepest |
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sympathy to the members of his family: to his sons, William Long and |
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his wife, Georgie, Tommy Long and his wife, Carolyn, and Frank Long |
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and his wife, Juli; to his daughter, Sammie Bedford; to his |
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grandchildren, Julie, William, Kristin, John, Reid, Ami, and Sam |
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Long, Shawn Brewer and his wife, Lauri, and Brian Brewer and his |
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wife, Jeannie; to his great-grandchildren, Cara, Colton, Clay, |
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Austin, Autumn, Kate, and Emma; to his sister, Margaret Glosup; to |
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his sisters-in-law, Edna Grant and Agnes Chapman; to his |
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brother-in-law, Harve Chapman, and his wife, Martha Kate; and to |
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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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Pete Long. |
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Homer |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 191 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 30, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 191 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the Senate on May 18, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |