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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of Harrison M. Sewell of Mesquite on |
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December 21, 2010, at the age of 85, brought to a close an exemplary |
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life lived in service to others; and |
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WHEREAS, Harry Sewell was born to Lee and Mary Jo Sewell on |
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May 4, 1925, in Nocona; he joined the U.S. Coast Guard following |
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high school, and during World War II he served on the destroyer |
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escort USS Howard D. Crow, which helped to sink a German submarine |
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off the New Jersey coast on February 11, 1945; after four years in |
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the coast guard, he was discharged with the rank of fire control |
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technician second class; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Sewell and his beloved wife, the former Jimmie |
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Laverne Smith, became the parents of four children, Sheree, Harry, |
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Suzanne, and Kevin, and shared 61 rewarding years of marriage until |
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her passing in 2007; he had the pleasure of seeing his family grow |
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to include 5 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan attended Southwestern |
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Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie and spent more than two |
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decades evangelizing at churches and revivals throughout the |
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nation; in 1966, Harry Sewell answered the call to start a church in |
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North Texas, and, with his family and a few other worshipers, he |
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organized Family Cathedral of Praise in Pleasant Grove; located in |
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Mesquite since 1994, the church today is home to a diverse |
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congregation of about 2,000 individuals who support a charter |
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school and numerous ministries, including those for motorcyclists, |
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for the deaf, for Spanish speakers, and for the imprisoned; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Sewell, who eventually became pastor emeritus, |
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began churches in Africa and South America, and in 2006 the Harry M. |
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Sewell School of English was established by his admirers in |
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Valledupar, Colombia; a recent expansion is making English classes |
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available to students at five more schools in that nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted to his faith and his family, Harry Sewell |
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had an immeasurable impact on the lives of countless people, and he |
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will be remembered with deep affection and admiration by all who |
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knew him; 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 Harrison M. Sewell |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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children, Sheree Sewell Stacy, Harry Lee Sewell and his wife, |
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Debbie, and Suzanne Sewell Mayo and her husband, J. D.; to his |
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siblings, Dorothy Newman, Virginia "Ginger" Mitten, Donald Sewell, |
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and Sara Wisener; to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and |
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to his many 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 Harry |
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Sewell. |