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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The loss of William Arnold McMinn, Jr., of |
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Brookshire, who passed away on April 11, 2011, at the age of 80, is |
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deeply felt by his family and by the numerous friends he made |
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through the years, as well as by the many people in Texas and beyond |
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whose lives he forever enriched; and |
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WHEREAS, Born to William and Mary McMinn in Clarksdale, |
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Mississippi, on July 29, 1930, Bill McMinn graduated from |
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Clarksdale High School in 1948 and went on to earn a bachelor's |
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degree in chemistry from Vanderbilt University in 1952; following |
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college, he was hired as a research chemist by Monsanto Chemical in |
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Texas City; Mr. McMinn subsequently worked as an executive with a |
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number of companies before joining the Sterling Group in 1986; |
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during his tenure with that investment firm, he had a role in some |
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of its most successful acquisitions, serving as president of Cain |
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Chemical and as chair of both Arcadian Corporation and Texas |
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Petrochemicals; he also served on the board of directors for a |
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number of other companies, and he invested in technology start-ups |
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in such cutting-edge fields as biotechnology, nanotechnology, |
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biopharmaceuticals, and the private space industry; and |
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WHEREAS, Setting an outstanding example of civic engagement, |
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Mr. McMinn was an active and valued member of the Republican Party; |
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he sat on the board of directors for the Associated Republicans of |
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Texas and served as the group's state finance chair during the 2008 |
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election cycle; in addition, he was a past president of the Texas |
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Public Policy Foundation Board of Directors, and he provided |
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invaluable encouragement and support to a number of state and |
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national leaders in their political campaigns; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his life, Mr. McMinn remained a staunch |
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benefactor of Vanderbilt University; he served on its board of |
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trust from 1993 to 2001 and held lifetime membership in the College |
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Cabinet and the Chancellor's Council; his philanthropy also |
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encompassed the endowing of several university chairs and |
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scholarships and the support of many charitable causes; among the |
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latter was The Brookwood Community, a residential facility for |
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adults with disabilities, on whose advisory board he served |
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devotedly for more than 20 years; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1998, Vanderbilt University recognized |
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Mr. McMinn with its Distinguished Alumnus Award, and three years |
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later, Abilene Christian University conferred on him an honorary |
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doctorate; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan approached all his endeavors |
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with enormous zest and energy; known for his wit and inquisitive |
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mind, he cultivated an interest in history, physics, and astronomy, |
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and for nearly 40 years he maintained an involvement in the ranching |
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industry, owning ranches in Brenham, Johnson City, McDade, and |
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Gustine; he flew in an F-16 fighter jet, participated in the Great |
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Montana Centennial Cattle Drive of 1989, and went back to college in |
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his 70s; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill McMinn met his wife, Nancy, while he was in |
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college, and they were joined in matrimony on August 30, 1951; the |
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couple enjoyed a rewarding marriage of 55 years, until her passing |
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in 2007; they were blessed with four children, William, Mary, |
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Nancy, and Patricia, as well as five grandchildren and four |
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great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, While the death of William Arnold McMinn, Jr., |
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brings immeasurable sorrow to his family and friends, he leaves |
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behind a legacy of exceptional achievement that will long be |
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treasured by all who held him dear; 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 William Arnold |
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McMinn, Jr., and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his son and daughter-in-law, William McMinn III and |
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Marie McMinn; to his daughters and son-in-law, Nancy and Stephen |
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Beasley, Mary Ogden, and Patricia McMinn; to his sisters, Caroline |
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Murphy and Sister Mary Magdalen; to his grandchildren, Michael |
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McMinn, Christina Snyder and her husband, Dyric, Tommy Ogden and |
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his wife, Marguerite, Brad Beasley, and Kate Beasley; to his |
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great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives and friends; and, |
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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 William |
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McMinn, Jr. |
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Bohac |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2147 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 26, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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