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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A rich and generous life drew to a close with the |
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passing of Lester Booth Whitton of Kerrville on March 10, 2008, at |
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the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of William Alford Whitton and Jewell Myrtle |
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West, Mr. Whitton was born in Nacogdoches County on February 22, |
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1922; during World War II, he served in the Cavalry Reconnaissance |
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Troop of the Third Army and was wounded in battle in Germany in |
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1945; his valor was recognized with a Purple Heart and two Bronze |
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Stars; and |
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WHEREAS, After his discharge, Mr. Whitton earned his |
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bachelor's degree in civil engineering from The University of Texas |
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at Austin, where he met and married Rachel Louise Stiefel; the |
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couple moved to Kerrville, and Mr. Whitton worked in construction |
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for his wife's father, Earl Stiefel, before starting his own |
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planning and engineering business; Mr. Whitton also supervised |
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construction for the San Antonio firm Noonan & Krocker; he became a |
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registered professional engineer in 1957 and designed banks, office |
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buildings, and residences across the Hill Country; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Whitton was a prominent figure in the local |
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community, serving on the Kerrville Board of Adjustments and |
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Appeals for 27 years and on the board of trustees of the Kerrville |
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Public Utility Board; he was also a member of the Kiwanis Club and |
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took an active role at the First Presbyterian Church, where he was a |
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deacon, an elder, and an officer of the building committee; and |
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WHEREAS, A loving husband and devoted father, Mr. Whitton was |
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proud to share in the raising of his three children, Alan, Brian, |
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and Pam; he relished family gatherings, where he would greet his |
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grandsons with a new joke, listen to their stories, and regale them |
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with tales of hopping freight trains to Galveston and other |
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adventures from his youth; he also enjoyed hunting with family and |
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friends, viewing the beauty of nature, and watching his favorite |
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football teams, the UT Longhorns and the Dallas Cowboys; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Lester Whitton is deeply missed, he made an |
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indelible mark on the Kerrville area through his design work and |
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dedicated civic service, and his family and friends will long |
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remember his warmth and generosity and the many wonderful times |
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spent in his company; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Lester Booth Whitton |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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wife of 62 years, Rachel Whitton; to his sons, Alan Whitton and his |
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wife, Marsha, and Brian Whitton; to his daughter, Pam Whitton, and |
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her husband, Jim Haymes; to his grandsons, Justin, Ryan, and Kevin |
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Whitton and Austin and Sean Haymes; to his sister, Anne W. Hill; to |
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his niece, Becky Hunt; and to his other relatives and friends; and, |
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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 Lester |
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Booth Whitton. |