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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Arlington lost one of its most |
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influential leaders with the passing of former mayor Tom J. |
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Vandergriff on December 30, 2010, at the age of 84; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Carrollton on January 29, 1926, Tom |
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Vandergriff moved to Arlington when he was 11; after earning a |
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degree from the University of Southern California in 1947, he |
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returned home and went to work at the family car dealership; he also |
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joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and assumed the presidency |
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of that organization at the age of 23; and |
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WHEREAS, Two years later, in 1951, Mr. Vandergriff ran for |
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mayor and won; he went on to be reelected 12 times, spending a total |
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of 26 years in office and leading the city through more than a |
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quarter-century of dramatic progress and great change; he is |
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credited with bringing numerous businesses to Arlington, including |
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a General Motors plant and Six Flags Over Texas; in addition, he |
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presided over the creation of Lake Arlington and worked to have |
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Arlington State College made a part of The University of Texas |
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System; and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Vandergriff was perhaps proudest of his |
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efforts to attract a major league baseball team to Arlington, which |
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came to a successful conclusion when he threw out the first pitch at |
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the Texas Rangers' opening game on April 21, 1972; his interest in |
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the ball club was such that he served as one of its broadcasters for |
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a time, and he was inducted into the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of |
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Fame in 2004; and |
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WHEREAS, During his tenure as mayor, this dedicated elected |
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official saw Arlington grow from 8,000 to more than 120,000 |
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residents; despite his many responsibilities, he still made time to |
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answer his own phone and mail, return all calls, and perform |
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marriage ceremonies; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Vandergriff stepped down as mayor in 1977 but |
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returned to public service after being elected to the U.S. House of |
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Representatives in 1982 by the voters of the state's 26th |
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Congressional District; he later distinguished himself as Tarrant |
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County judge from 1991 to 2007, continuing to put his expertise to |
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work in behalf of his fellow citizens; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely respected for his tireless perseverance and |
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ability to rise above partisan politics, "Mr. Arlington," as he was |
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known, served as the chair of numerous civic organizations, on the |
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boards of many community and governmental entities, and as a member |
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of President Johnson's White House Commission on Urban Problems in |
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the late 1960s; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, he enjoyed the love and |
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support of his wife, Anna Waynette Vandergriff, whom he originally |
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met in high school and married in 1949; they shared 60 rewarding |
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years together before she passed away in 2009 and were the parents |
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of five children; and |
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WHEREAS, The city of Arlington, now one of the 50 largest in |
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the United States, greatly benefited from the vision, initiative, |
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and outstanding contributions of Tom Vandergriff, and his |
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achievements will continue to influence the lives of North Texas |
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residents for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable |
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Tom J. Vandergriff and extend sincere condolences to the members of |
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his family: to his children, Vanessa Watters and her husband, Mark, |
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Victor Vandergriff and his wife, Kristin, Valerie Kelton and her |
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husband, Paul, and Viveca Vandergriff; to his grandchildren, |
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Kendell Kelton, Rachel Kelton, Katharine Vandergriff, Parker |
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Vandergriff, and Caroline Vandergriff; to his sister, Virginia |
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Deering; and 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 the |
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Honorable Tom J. Vandergriff. |