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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Ed and Gwen Cole have enriched many lives through |
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their generosity and dedication to Stephen F. Austin State |
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University and the Nacogdoches community; and |
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WHEREAS, Raised in Longview, Ed Cole served his country in |
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World War II as a member of the U.S. Air Force; in 1958, he started |
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his own business in the oil industry in South Louisiana; and |
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WHEREAS, Gwen Cole grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, and |
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attended business school; she was employed with Home Federal |
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Savings and Loan for 26 years; and |
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WHEREAS, The couple married on Valentine's Day in 1966; they |
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settled in Nacogdoches in 1978 and became active members of the |
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community; at First United Methodist Church, they befriended the |
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congregation's choir director, Dr. Ron Anderson, a faculty member |
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at the SFA School of Music; he encouraged their love of music, which |
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eventually led them to the university and the cultural programs it |
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offered to students and area residents; and |
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WHEREAS, Recognizing the importance of the university to the |
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greater community, Mr. and Mrs. Cole devoted time, energy, and |
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financial assistance to support and expand a variety of the |
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school's programs and facilities; Mr. Cole served as a trustee for |
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the Stephen F. Austin State University Foundation and as president |
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of the Lumberjacks Booster Club, and Mrs. Cole held the office of |
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president for the Ladyjacks Booster Club; moreover, the couple have |
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funded scholarships for music, theater, and the men's and women's |
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basketball programs, and their philanthropy is further evidenced by |
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the concert hall, the art center, the audiology and simulation |
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labs, and the endowed chair in audiology, which are all named in |
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their honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Cole also demonstrate their civic pride |
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by active participation in a number of community organizations; Mr. |
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Cole is a Rotarian, and Mrs. Cole is on the Timber Springs |
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Retirement Center Board and a member of the Dilettante Study Club; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Those individuals who step forward to share their |
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time and resources with others are indeed deserving of our profound |
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admiration and gratitude, and it is most appropriate to honor Mr. |
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and Mrs. Cole for their generous support of SFA; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Ed and Gwen Cole for their many |
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contributions to Stephen F. Austin State University and the |
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Nacogdoches community; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Cole as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |