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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 70th birthday of an esteemed Texan is indeed |
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cause for celebration, and William Dair Power of Marshall is |
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commemorating this important milestone on February 23, 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1939, "Buddy" Power was born to Earl Dair and |
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Irene Power in Harrison County, where six generations of the Power |
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family have lived; as a young boy of 12, he was spared from a fatal |
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automobile accident and he committed his life to Christ; he began |
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working at an early age and went on to graduate from Marshall High |
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School in 1958, immediately joining the Texas Highway Department as |
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a party chief and later working in engineering; he answered his |
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nation's call to duty and served in the U.S. Army until 1962; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Power was employed by ALCOA as a Planner during |
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the 1960s, and in 1972 he followed in his father's footsteps and |
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entered the grocery business, becoming the owner and operator of |
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Power Grocery; he later organized rural transportation and Meals on |
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Wheels service for citizens all across Northeast Texas; seeing his |
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neighbors in need of water service, Mr. Power purchased Rolling |
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Acres Water Supply, and later used the expertise he had gained there |
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to modernize and expand Leigh Water Supply, providing quality water |
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and extending service to several hundred residents of Harrison |
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County; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to his community, Mr. Power began serving |
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on the County Commissioners Court for Precinct 2 in 1983 and held |
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the position for more than a decade; he was elected to his first |
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term as a Marshall City Commissioner in 2007, and the following year |
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he was elected by his colleagues as Commission Chair, a position |
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commonly referred to as Mayor of Marshall; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Power has also taken on leadership roles with |
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numerous other civic organizations and committees, including the |
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North and East Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association, |
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which he served as Chairman, the Texas Independence Express Depot |
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Restoration Committee, the State Sesquicentennial Committee, the |
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Cypress Valley Navigation District, which he served as Chairman, |
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and the State of Texas County Judges and Commissioners Legislative |
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Affairs Committee, which he served as Chairman; and |
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WHEREAS, Burdened by the number of juveniles being |
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incarcerated alongside hardened criminals in Texas jails, Mr. Power |
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worked with the Governor to develop alternatives to house and |
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rehabilitate juvenile offenders; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Power has served his Lord and his community |
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faithfully for decades, working in the background to help those in |
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need, and he is a valued member of Central Baptist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Mr. Power enjoys the love |
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and support of his wife of more than 30 years, Diana, and the |
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couple's three children, Leslie, Bill, and Cherry; moreover, he has |
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taken great pleasure in welcoming into his family six |
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grandchildren, Victoria, Brooke, Shelby, Nikki, Justin, and |
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Jonathan; and |
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WHEREAS, Buddy Power has made lasting contributions to the |
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city of Marshall, and he has justly garnered the respect and |
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admiration of his neighbors, friends, and colleagues; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor William Dair "Buddy" Power on the occasion |
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of his 70th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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continued success and happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Power as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |