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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The people of Texas lost an exemplary public servant |
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and a universally beloved member of the house of representatives |
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with the passing of the Honorable Edmund Kuempel of Seguin on |
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November 4, 2010, at the age of 67; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Kuempel was born in Austin on |
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November 29, 1942, and graduated from Austin High School; after |
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earning a degree in business from Texas Lutheran College in 1964, he |
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went to work for Structural Metals, now CMC Steel Texas, in Seguin, |
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where he spent his entire career; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1982, Edmund Kuempel won the first of 15 |
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consecutive terms in the house of representatives; enormously |
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popular in his district, he frequently ran unopposed in the general |
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election; at the statehouse, he quickly gained the respect of his |
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colleagues, securing an appointment to the Ways and Means Committee |
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during his freshman term and the Appropriations Committee during |
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his second; at the time of his passing, he was the third most senior |
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member of the house, chair of the Licensing and Administrative |
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Procedures Committee, and a senior member of the Calendars and |
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Culture, Recreation, and Tourism Committees; he had previously |
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chaired the Committees on Retirement and Aging, State Recreational |
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Resources, and House Administration; in the latter capacity, he |
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helped to oversee extensive restoration of the Capitol and the |
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construction of the underground Capitol Extension; and |
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WHEREAS, A tireless champion of his constituents' interests, |
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Representative Kuempel also supported the development of the |
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state's parks and recreation areas, played a vital role in shaping |
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and passing environmental regulations, and was similarly |
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instrumental in crafting and shepherding legislation relating to |
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state, teacher, municipal, and county retirement funds; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his 28 years in the house of |
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representatives, Edmund Kuempel consistently reflected the |
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greatest honor on that chamber; selfless, hardworking, and |
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scrupulously honest, he also had a boundless capacity for |
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friendship, one that was never constrained by differences of |
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opinion or of party affiliation; Edmund Kuempel simply loved |
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people, and he treated every single individual he encountered with |
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unfailing graciousness and good cheer; his warm smile and jovial |
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nature were legendary, as were his infinite kindness and |
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generosity; those qualities engendered tremendous respect and |
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affection and enabled him to build the kind of bridges between |
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political camps that foster good governance; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the host of accolades bestowed on |
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Representative Kuempel were the John Traeger Award from the Texas |
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Municipal Retirement System, Man of the Year Award from the Texas |
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County Agricultural Agents Association, Career Achievement Award |
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and Legislative Leadership Award from the Texas Chamber of |
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Commerce, and Leader of Excellence Award from the Free Market |
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Committee; Texas Lutheran University conferred on him its |
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Distinguished Service Award and inducted him into its Athletics |
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Leadership Wall of Honor Class of 2009; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan remained deeply engaged in the |
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life of his district, where his myriad activities included speaking |
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at community functions and wielding the auctioneer's gavel at |
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fund-raising events for worthy causes; together with his wife, |
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Roberta "Birdie" Blumberg Kuempel, he was an active and valued |
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member of Faith Lutheran Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Edmund Kuempel was the genuine |
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article, a gentleman and statesman in every sense of those words, |
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and his colleagues in the house of representatives will forever |
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remember his joyous spirit and his unwavering devotion to the Lone |
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Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Edmund Kuempel and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Roberta "Birdie" Kuempel; to his daughter and son-in-law, |
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Margaret and Walter Brady; to his son and daughter-in-law, John and |
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Michelle Kuempel; to his grandchildren, Rose Brady and Will and Sam |
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Kuempel; to his father, Henry Kuempel; to his brother and |
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sister-in-law, Robert and Jamie Kuempel; to his aunt, Marilyn |
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Kuempel Smith; and to his many other relatives and friends; and, be |
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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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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the Honorable Edmund Kuempel. |