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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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passing of the Reverend Dr. Lawrence A. Crenshaw of San Antonio on |
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December 18, 2010, at the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Etha Mae Winn and Marcus Crenshaw, |
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Lawrence Crenshaw was born in Caldwell County on March 4, 1924; he |
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grew up learning the value of hard work on his family's 239-acre |
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farm, where he chopped wood, hauled water, milked cows, picked |
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cotton, and stripped sugarcane; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Crenshaw decided at an early age to dedicate his |
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life to the ministry; after graduating from St. John School in Dale, |
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he attended Conroe College and Mary Allen College, earning |
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bachelor's and master's degrees in theology and divinity as well as |
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a doctorate in divinity; and |
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WHEREAS, During his more than six decades as a pastor, |
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Reverend Crenshaw shared his knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual |
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guidance with many congregations, serving churches in Navasota, |
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Littig, and Round Rock; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1953, he was called to lead Palestine Baptist |
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Church in San Antonio, and through the years, he revitalized the |
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house of worship by creating new outreach ministries to serve |
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members and area residents in need; under his leadership, the |
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congregation built a new facility and spread a message of hope to |
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the greater public through radio and television broadcasts; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to his work with Palestine Baptist, |
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Dr. Crenshaw served his community of faith as a Bible instructor |
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with Guadalupe College and as vice president and president of the |
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Sunday School and BYBU Congress; he also held offices on local, |
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state, and national levels and as chair of the permanent |
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organization committee, co-chair of the pastor's conference, vice |
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chair of the finance committee, and historian for the district |
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association; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Crenshaw exchanged wedding vows with |
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Estella Washington on September 17, 1947, and the couple had a |
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rewarding marriage that spanned more than half a century; after his |
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wife's passing, he was fortunate enough to find love a second time, |
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and in 2007 he married Mattie Johnson, with whom he shared a special |
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enjoyment of traveling; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Lawrence Crenshaw was a gifted and devoted |
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pastor who made a profound difference in the lives of those who had |
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the privilege of hearing him preach, and although he is deeply |
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missed, he leaves behind a legacy that will be treasured for years |
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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 life of the Reverend |
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Dr. Lawrence A. Crenshaw and extend sincere sympathy to the members |
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of his family: to his wife, Mattie Crenshaw; to his sisters, Cleola |
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Franks, Rosa Lee Taylor, Ophelia Knox, Dee Dee Bennett, Effie Kemp, |
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and Julia Crenshaw-Moore and her husband, Willie; and to his other |
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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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Reverend Dr. Lawrence A. Crenshaw. |