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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Dr. |
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James Earl Williams of Katy, who died on February 7, 2009, at the |
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age of 78; and |
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WHEREAS, Jim Williams was born in West Columbia on June 27, |
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1930, to Archie and Emma Williams, and he moved with his family to |
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Tomball as a young boy; after graduating from Tomball High School in |
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1948, he enrolled at Southern Methodist University; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Williams interrupted his studies to answer his |
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nation's call to duty and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean |
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War; returning to Texas, he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry |
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from Southwestern University, and he graduated from The University |
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of Texas Dental School in 1959; two years later, he opened a dental |
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practice in Katy; and |
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WHEREAS, Strongly committed to public education, Dr. |
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Williams was a member of the Katy Independent School District board |
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of trustees from 1967 to 1985 and again from 1988 to 1994, and he |
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served nine terms as the board's president; during his tenure, he |
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played a vital role in leading Katy ISD in its evolution from a |
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small, rural school system into a district with 47 schools and more |
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than 53,000 students; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Williams was especially proud of helping to |
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establish the district's 35-acre Outdoor Learning Center; the board |
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named its 18th elementary school in his honor in 2000, and he and |
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his wife often spent their Fridays greeting and having lunch with |
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the school's students; in 2004, the couple were honored with a |
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Sunshine Award from KPRC-TV for their service to area students; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Williams also participated in the life of his |
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community by helping to found the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce and |
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serving as its president, and he was active as well in the Katy |
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Rotary Club and the Gulf Coast Area Association of School Boards; he |
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was a board member of the Waller County Appraisal District and Texas |
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Commerce Bank and an honorary member of the Katy FFA; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of strong religious conviction, Dr. Williams |
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was an active parishioner at the First United Methodist Church of |
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Katy for 47 years, serving as a Sunday school teacher, finance |
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committee chair, and Board of Stewards chair; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Dr. Williams enjoyed the |
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love and support of his wife, Patsy, with whom he shared more than |
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62 years; and |
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WHEREAS, A wise and generous man, Jim Williams contributed |
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greatly to the betterment of the Katy community, and the memory of |
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his kindness and his easy laugh will live forever in the hearts of |
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all those who loved him; 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 Dr. James Earl |
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Williams and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Patsy Ginn Williams; to his daughters, Laura |
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Williams and her husband, Randy, and Leslie Cerezo and her husband, |
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Luis; to his sons, Clay Williams and his wife, Jenny, and Brad |
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Williams and his wife, Michelle; to his sister, Madeline Little; to |
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his grandchildren, Scott, Kyle, Grant, Hannah, Libby, Sam, Garrett, |
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Cole, and Lauren; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it |
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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 Dr. James |
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Earl Williams. |