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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 60
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In Memory |
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of |
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Robert Lewis Hardesty |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the life of Robert Lewis Hardesty, who died July 8, |
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2013, at the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, Robert Hardesty served his state and nation with |
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dedication and distinction; over the course of his longtime |
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career, he excelled as a journalist, a presidential |
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speechwriter, and a university president; and |
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WHEREAS, Robert Lewis Hardesty was born June 4, 1931, in |
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Saint Louis, Missouri; he graduated from George Washington |
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University and served in the United States Army; after his |
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military service, he was a reporter and columnist for the Army |
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Times; and |
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WHEREAS, He went on to serve as the speechwriter for |
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Postmaster General John Gronouski, and after having been |
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recognized for authoring many of the best speeches written during |
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the 1964 presidential campaign, he was hired by President Lyndon |
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Baines Johnson as the president's speechwriter and aide; and |
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WHEREAS, He served in the White House until the end of the |
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Johnson administration and then moved to Austin to help the |
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president write his memoir, The Vantage Point: Perspectives of |
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the Presidency, 1963-1969; he also became press secretary and |
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special assistant to Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe, with whom he |
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worked for three years; and |
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WHEREAS, He then served as vice chancellor for |
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governmental affairs for The University of Texas System, and |
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during his tenure, he was appointed by President Gerald Ford to |
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fill a vacancy on the United States Postal Service Board of |
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Governors; he served three terms as the board's chair and played |
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an important role in bringing political and fiscal stability to |
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the organization; he was the recipient of the Benjamin Franklin |
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Award, the highest honor bestowed by the postal service; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1981, he was named president of Southwest Texas |
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State University; under his exceptional leadership, sweeping |
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academic reforms were initiated, a state-of-the-art library was |
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constructed, and enrollment increased from 13,000 to 20,000; |
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during his seven-year tenure, the university's permanent |
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endowment grew from $400,000 to $7 million; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of courage, determination, and strength, he |
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gave generously to others, and his many talents, his remarkable |
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eloquence, and his wry sense of humor will not be forgotten; and |
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WHEREAS, He was a devoted husband, father, and |
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grandfather, and he leaves behind memories that will be treasured |
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forever by his family and countless friends; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd |
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Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby extend sincere |
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condolences to the bereaved family of Robert Lewis Hardesty; and, |
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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 Robert L. Hardesty. |
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Watson |
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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 July 19, 2013, 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 |