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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and |
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meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family and friends |
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of George I. Richardson of Paris, Texas, who passed away on April |
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13, 2009, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Lamar County on February 22, 1924, to Thomas |
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Eugene and Tiney Freeman Richardson, George Richardson graduated |
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from the Midway School and attended Paris Junior College before |
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answering his nation's call to duty with service in the U.S. Army |
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during World War II; he played basketball on the military team and |
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came very close to qualifying to play on the U.S. Olympic team; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Richardson worked at the Texas Department of |
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Transportation for nearly four decades and retired as office |
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manager in the district maintenance engineer's office; he had a |
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deep passion for music and played the piano, banjo, mandolin, |
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guitar, and harmonica; a member of three different bands, he |
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frequently performed for the residents of local nursing homes over |
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the course of 20 years; he also took a prominent role in many |
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community activities, serving as president of the Rockford Cemetery |
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Association and as a member of the Cunningham school board; |
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moreover, he was a beloved participant in the Paris Rodeo |
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festivities each year, amusing spectators by riding his donkey at |
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the event; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Richardson enjoyed the |
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love and support of his wife, the former Maureen Gordon, with whom |
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he shared 62 years; the couple raised two children, Ron and Gerrie, |
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and with the passing years welcomed into the family three |
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grandchildren, Jerrod, Kristi, and Chance, and three |
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great-grandchildren, Kaden, Ashlyn, and Gage; Mr. Richardson was a |
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proud member of Union Church at Taylortown, where he was active in |
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the music ministry, and he taught at several churches over the |
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course of his six-decade tenure as a Sunday school lecturer; and |
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WHEREAS, With his enduring devotion to his family and his |
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community, George Richardson made a meaningful difference in the |
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lives of his neighbors and loved ones, and his contributions will be |
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fondly remembered for years to come; 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 George I. Richardson and extend |
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sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Helen |
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Maureen Gordon Richardson; to his children, Ron Richardson and |
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Gerrie Bankhead; to his grandchildren, Jerrod Bankhead, Kristi |
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Callihan and her husband, Bryan, and Chance Bankhead and his |
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fiancee, Morgan Nickerson; to his great-grandchildren, Kaden and |
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Ashlyn Callihan and Gage Bankhead; to his sister, Wanda Reid; to his |
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sister-in-law, Ellen Richardson; and to his other relatives and |
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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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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George Richardson. |