H.R. No. 795

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The residents of New Braunfels lost a devoted
	community leader with the passing of Gheral Thomas Purdum on
	October 8, 2008, at the age of 80; and
	WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on April 18, 1928, to J. L. and
	Imogene Purdum, Tom Purdum graduated early from Brackenridge High
	School and joined the U.S. Marine Corps on his 17th birthday; he
	served in Guam and in Washington, D.C., as a member of the Silent
	Drill Platoon; and
	WHEREAS, His career in civic service began with the San
	Antonio Jaycees; he joined the group while attending Trinity
	University and working at Smith Motors, and he was the
	organization's president in 1956 and 1957; Mr. Purdum went on to
	serve in the Uvalde Chamber of Commerce for three years before being
	hired as chamber of commerce manager in New Braunfels, where he was
	instrumental in the creation and promotion of Wurstfest, the city's
	renowned annual festival; his exceptional work with the
	organization led to his promotion to executive director, and he
	held that title for 25 years; and
	WHEREAS, This dedicated Texan held a number of important
	posts with local and regional organizations; he served as president
	of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives, the New Braunfels
	Rotary Club, and the Comal County Community Fund, as vice-chair of
	the New Braunfels Economic Development Corporation and as public
	affairs director and director of customer services for the Lower
	Colorado River Authority; in addition, he was a charter board
	member of the Greater Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council, a
	founding member of the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio,
	and president of the Hummel Museum and Art Gallery in New Braunfels;
	and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Purdum received numerous accolades for his
	achievements, including the Besserung Award as citizen of the year
	for New Braunfels, selection as Grosse Opa for Wurstfest 2000, the
	Marvin Hurley Award from the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives,
	and one of only eight honorary life memberships in the Texas
	Economic Development Council; moreover, he was one of the first
	three individuals given the title of Living Legend of New
	Braunfels, and he received an honorary Texan of the Year award from
	the Texas Legislative Conference; and
	WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Mr. Purdum enjoyed the love
	and support of his wife, Bobbie, and their family; and
	WHEREAS, Tom Purdum will be greatly missed by all who knew
	him, but his admirable dedication and the many contributions he
	made to his community will long remain an inspiration to residents
	of the city he loved so well; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Gheral Thomas Purdum
	and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his
	wife, Bobbie Purdum; to his children, Sande Herbelin, Candy Sober,
	Sue Brown, Hal Herbelin, Tommy Purdum, Brad Herbelin, Martha
	Bellamy, and Mike Purdum; to his brother, Jack Purdum; to his
	grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives
	and friends; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
	Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Tom Purdum.
	Miller of Comal
	Straus Gattis Menendez
	Allen Geren Merritt
	Alonzo Giddings Miklos
	Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
	Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
	Anderson Guillen Moody
	Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
	Berman Hamilton Naishtat
	Bohac Hancock Oliveira
	Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
	Bonnen Harless Orr
	Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
	Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
	Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
	Burnam Hernandez Patrick
	Button Herrero Paxton
	Callegari Hilderbran Peña
	Castro Hochberg Phillips
	Chavez Hodge Pickett
	Chisum Homer Pierson
	Christian Hopson Pitts
	Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
	Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
	Cook Hughes Riddle
	Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
	Crabb Isett Ritter
	Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
	Creighton Jones Rose
	Crownover Keffer Sheffield
	Darby Kent Shelton
	Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
	Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
	Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
	Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
	Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
	Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
	Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
	Edwards Legler Thibaut
	Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
	Eissler Lewis Truitt
	Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
	England Madden Turner of Harris
	Farabee Maldonado Vaught
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Marquez Villarreal
	Fletcher Martinez Vo
	Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
	Flynn McCall Weber
	Frost McClendon Woolley
	Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 795 was unanimously adopted by a
	rising vote of the House on March 26, 2009.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House