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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The citizens of Weatherford and Parker County lost a |
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greatly admired member of their community with the death of Jack |
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Borden on January 19, 2011, at the age of 102; and |
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WHEREAS, Jack Borden was born near Weatherford on August 5, |
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1908, to John Samuel Borden and Bess Wallis; the son of |
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sharecroppers, he graduated from Weatherford College in 1931, and |
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he earned his law degree from The University of Texas in 1936; and |
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WHEREAS, Two years later, Mr. Borden was elected district |
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attorney of Parker County; during World War II, he served his nation |
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as a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for several |
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years, and he was a charter member of the Parker County Sheriff's |
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Posse when it was formed in 1947; and |
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WHEREAS, A practicing attorney for more than three-quarters |
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of a century, Mr. Borden was one of the leading citizens of |
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Weatherford; he sat on the board of directors of First National Bank |
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of Weatherford from 1955 to 1977, and he was the city's mayor from |
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1960 to 1964; he continued to practice law until two days before his |
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death, regularly appearing in probate court, where he loved to |
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share stories with the judge; he was considered to be the oldest |
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member of the Texas Bar as well as the nation's oldest living former |
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FBI agent; and |
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WHEREAS, This outstanding Texan garnered many awards and |
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honors through the years; he received all three of Weatherford |
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College's highest awards, including Alumnus of the Year, |
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Distinguished Alumnus, and the Carlos Hartnett Award; in 2008, he |
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was recognized as Texas' Outstanding Older Worker of the Year; he |
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was named Outstanding Citizen of Weatherford in 2005, and five |
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years later, a street was renamed Jack Borden Way in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, An active member of First Baptist Church of |
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Weatherford since 1936, Mr. Borden served the congregation as a |
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deacon and chair of the board of deacons; he also taught Sunday |
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school for 25 years; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Borden enjoyed 66 years of marriage to the love |
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of his life, Edith Jordan Borden, who was renowned for her expertise |
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in Parker County history; he was also close to his many nieces and |
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nephews, including John Westhoff, with whom he shared a law |
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practice for nearly four decades; and |
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WHEREAS, Known for his humility, intelligence, and honesty, |
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Jack Borden leaves behind a century-long legacy of loyalty and |
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service to the community in which he spent his entire life, and he |
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will forever be remembered by his family, friends, and fellow |
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citizens; 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 life of Jack Borden and extend |
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sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his brother, |
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C. B. Borden; to his nephews, John Westhoff and his wife, Sue Ann, |
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Leo W. Tiberghian III, and Eddie Borden; to his nieces, Nancy Borden |
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O'Neal, Susie Borden Gandy, Traci Layman Brown, Terri Layman Short, |
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Betty Thompson, and Linda Thompson; to his great-niece, Paige |
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Westhoff; to his great-nephew, John Trenton Westhoff, his wife, |
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Amy, and their daughter, Corrine; and to his other relatives and |
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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 Jack |
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Borden. |