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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 Ralph L. |
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D. Essary of Ennis, who died on January 26, 2009, at the age of 79; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Ralph Essary was born in Bonham on March 26, 1929, to |
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Douglas and Lucille Essary; in 1941, he moved to Ennis, where he |
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played football for Ennis High School, beginning a lifelong |
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devotion to the game and to the Ennis Lions; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating in 1947, he became an apprentice |
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mechanic for Southern Pacific Railroad; he married Ruby Marie |
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Calhoun in 1948, and the following year the couple moved to Austin, |
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where Mr. Essary worked as a mechanic for Southern Pacific for 12 |
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years; in 1962, he and his family returned to Ennis, and he |
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continued to work for Southern Pacific until his retirement in |
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1991, after 44 years with the railroad; and |
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WHEREAS, A well-respected member of the Ennis community, Mr. |
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Essary was a 32nd degree Mason and a founding member of the Sunbeam |
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Club for retired railroad employees; he was active in Helping Hands |
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of Ennis and volunteered at the Railroad and Cultural Heritage |
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Museum; for 15 years, he wrote a weekly column, "Ramblin' with |
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Ralph," for the Ennis Daily News, always carrying a notebook and |
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pencil with him to capture details for a column; he loved fishing, |
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and he looked forward to his annual trips to Rockport and New |
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Mexico; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Essary remained involved in athletics for much |
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of his life, coaching football and baseball and umpiring Little |
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League games as a young man; when he lived in Austin, he served as a |
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football official and was a member of the Southwest Conference |
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Football Officials Association; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of strong faith, he was a deacon and Sunday |
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school superintendent at the Northwest Baptist Church in Austin and |
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a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and committee member for the |
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Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ennis; Mr. and Mrs. Essary also worked |
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as mentors for Friendship Baptist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Ralph Essary was a warmhearted, loyal, and generous |
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man who was devoted to his family, his faith, and his community, and |
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memories of him will forever live in the hearts of all who knew and |
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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 Ralph L. D. Essary and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife |
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of 60 years, Ruby Essary; to his son, Derry Essary, and his wife, |
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Ann; to his brothers, Don, Ray, and Glen Essary; to his |
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grandchildren, Bryce Essary and his wife, Elisabeth, Jordan Essary |
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and his wife, Melissa, and Adair Essary and her fiancé, Brad Flynt; |
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to his great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Gunner, and Skylar Essary; and |
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to his other relatives and friends; and, 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 Ralph |
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Essary. |
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Pitts |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2700 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 31, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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