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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends are mourning the loss of Milton |
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John Norris, Jr., who passed away on April 20, 2011, at the age of |
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91; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Burleson to Milton John Norris, Sr., and |
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Irma Ringo Norris on March 8, 1920, M. J. Norris graduated from |
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Texas A&M University in 1942 and was commissioned as a second |
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lieutenant in the United States Army; and |
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WHEREAS, Before shipping out for overseas duty in World War |
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II, he married his high school sweetheart, the former Winifred |
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Marie Chandler, on September 5, 1942, at Fort Benning, Georgia; the |
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couple later raised two sons and enjoyed 65 rewarding years |
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together, until Mrs. Norris's death in 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Norris served as an infantry captain in the |
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Philippines, participating in amphibious combat landings at |
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Zamboanga and Malabang on Mindanao Island and later in the |
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dismantling of fortifications in the Kure area of Japan; and |
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WHEREAS, After his discharge, Mr. Norris earned a master's |
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degree in agronomy at Texas A&M University and embarked on a career |
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as a research agronomist and associate professor; over the course |
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of nearly four decades, he worked at the Bluebonnet Experiment |
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Station in McGregor and at the Texas AgriLife Blackland Research |
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and Extension Center in Temple, focusing on soil fertility, crop |
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production, plant breeding, and pasture grass development; a |
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frequent guest on area radio and television farm shows, he enjoyed |
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showing and discussing his various agricultural experiments; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1992, Mr. Norris received the Norwood Award and |
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the Burleson High School Ex-Student Association Hall of Fame Award; |
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in addition, the Heart of Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America |
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presented him with their highest adult award, the Silver Beaver, in |
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recognition of his outstanding work as a scoutmaster; he also |
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served his community in his role as the president of the McGregor |
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Rotary Club and as a Sunday school teacher, lay leader, board |
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member, and chair of the board for his church; and |
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WHEREAS, M. J. Norris lived a rich and purposeful life |
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centered around his family and his work, and he will long be |
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remembered with admiration by all who had the good fortune to know |
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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 Milton John Norris, |
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Jr., and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to |
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his sons, John Robert Norris and his wife, Kay, and William Milton |
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Norris and his wife, Janie; to his sisters-in-law, Mary Norris and |
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Florus Chandler; to his numerous nieces and nephews; and to his |
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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 M. J. |
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Norris. |