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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 805
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In Memory |
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of |
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Kenneth N. Ports |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the |
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citizens of San Antonio in mourning the loss of Kenneth N. Ports, |
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who died February 28, 2011, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Kenneth Ports was born September 24, 1925, in |
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Frederick, Maryland; shortly after his 1942 graduation from high |
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school, he enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to |
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General George Patton's Third Army, where he served as his |
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platoon's first scout; during his World War II service, he was |
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wounded in combat and was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze |
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Star; and |
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WHEREAS, Following the war, he returned to Maryland and |
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earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of |
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Maryland; while attending college, he met and married his beloved |
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wife, Dolly, and the couple raised two children together; and |
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WHEREAS, He returned to military service in 1950 when he |
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was offered a direct commission as a sanitary engineer in the |
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Army; he was awarded a second Bronze Star in 1952 for his heroic |
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actions in the Pusan Refugee Area in Korea; and |
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WHEREAS, After the Korean War, he earned a master's degree |
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in public health engineering at the University of Minnesota; he |
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went on to serve in Germany during the construction of the Berlin |
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Wall, and he later attended the United States Army's prestigious |
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Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth; and |
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WHEREAS, When he retired from the military in 1971, he had |
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served the nation with honor and distinction for 27 years and had |
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risen to the rank of colonel; his exemplary work in several vital |
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command assignments embodied his dedication to his country; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his military service, Mr. Ports served |
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for more than a decade as city engineer for Alamo Heights; he went |
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on to serve as the executive director of the Bexar chapter of the |
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Texas Society of Professional Engineers; and |
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WHEREAS, A life member of the National Society of |
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Professional Engineers, Mr. Ports served as a mentor to countless |
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young engineers; he was a 32nd degree Mason and an associate |
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member of the San Antonio Conservation Society; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of courage, strength, and compassion, he |
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gave unselfishly to others, and his generous spirit and his |
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devotion to duty will not be forgotten by those who knew him; and |
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WHEREAS, He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, |
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and he leaves behind memories that will be treasured forever by |
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his family and many friends; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Kenneth N. Ports: his son and daughter-in-law, Karl |
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and Kathy Ports; his daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and William |
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Archie; his sister, Judy Ports Werner; and his four grandchildren |
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and six great-grandchildren; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Kenneth N. Ports. |
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Wentworth |
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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 April 19, 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 |