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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 624
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In Memory |
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of |
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The Honorable Donley C. Kennard |
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WHEREAS, Our former colleague Senator Don Kennard passed |
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away in Austin on March 17, 2011, and we are saddened to lose him |
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and his mischievous smile; we are warmed, however, by the |
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opportunity to memorialize him for the proud legacy he leaves |
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behind to the people of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Donley C. Kennard was born on May 6, 1929, in |
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Houston; at the age of 13, he moved with his family to Fort Worth |
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and became a star football player at Arlington Heights High |
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School; he attended the University of North Texas and Texas |
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Christian University and earned a bachelor's degree from The |
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University of Texas at Austin; he went on to become a longtime |
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Texas lawmaker and a nationally known conservationist; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Kennard was inspired to seek public |
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service while still a young man; in 1952, during his senior year |
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at The University of Texas, he ran for election to the Texas House |
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of Representatives and won his seat; at the time, he declared to |
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the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "I want to go to Austin to |
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represent all the people, not just the few"; and |
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WHEREAS, He served in the House for 10 years, from 1953 to |
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1963, and became known as a dedicated and respected voice for |
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education and as a strong advocate for the preservation of our |
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state's natural resources; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1962, the voters of Tarrant County elected him |
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to the Texas Senate, where he served with distinction for another |
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10 years on behalf of the people of District 10; he was elected |
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president pro tempore by his colleagues in 1969 for the Regular |
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Session of the 61st Legislative Session; and |
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WHEREAS, His reputation as a warrior for education was |
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solidified with his filibuster of 29 hours and 22 minutes in the |
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Senate Chamber, which resulted in the votes needed to pass the |
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measure that elevated Arlington State College to the four-year |
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institution that became The University of Texas at Arlington; and |
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WHEREAS, His passion for our natural resources was |
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demonstrated by the courageous and successful crusade he led in |
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1971 to pass a tax bill that secured funding to maintain state |
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parks for the people of Texas; it was a crusade that ultimately |
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led to his reelection defeat; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving the Senate, "by popular demand," as |
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he liked to say, he established and served as the director of The |
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Natural Areas Surveys with the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public |
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Affairs; the extensive reports from these studies ultimately led |
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to the preservation of Enchanted Rock and several other natural |
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Texas sites; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Kennard appropriately will be laid to |
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rest in the Texas State Cemetery on Saturday, March 26, alongside |
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a host of giants of Texas history that form a prominent path back |
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to the days of Stephen F. Austin; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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Legislature, hereby express gratitude, admiration, and affection |
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for the Honorable Don Kennard and pay tribute to his dedicated |
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service and historic contributions toward the betterment of his |
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beloved state and its people; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in his |
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honor, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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honor and in memory of the Honorable Don Kennard. |
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| Deuell |
Jackson |
Van de Putte |
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| Gallegos |
Rodriguez |
Zaffirini |
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Dewhurst, President of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 24, 2011, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |