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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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death of Erich E. Wendl of Corpus Christi on February 27, 2012, at |
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the age of 80; and |
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WHEREAS, Erich Wendl was born on November 13, 1931, in |
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Munich, Germany, to Johann and Emilie Wendl; after immigrating to |
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the United States in 1953, he accepted an internship at HEB in |
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Harlingen to study the American grocery business; while in |
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Harlingen, he met his future wife, Elvira Castillo, and with the |
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passing years, their family grew to include two children, Karl and |
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Barbara; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1954 to 1956 Mr. Wendl honorably served in the |
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United States Army; he became a naturalized citizen of his adopted |
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country during his tour of duty; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1961, after success as a top salesperson for |
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Boggus Motor Company in Harlingen, he bought five Corpus Christi |
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convenience stores; he renamed them Maverick Markets, and his |
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handful of properties eventually grew to include 102 locations |
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across South Texas; he sold Maverick Markets to Coastal Market |
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Incorporated in 1995; in recognition of his long and successful |
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career, Mr. Wendl was inducted into the Corpus Christi Business |
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Hall of Fame in 2005; and |
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WHEREAS, This respected entrepreneur was one of the original |
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founders of the National Association of Convenience Stores and was |
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elected president of the organization in 1979; he served as |
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president of the Corpus Christi District Retail Grocers Association |
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in 1965 and 1966 and was elected to the Corpus Christi Chamber of |
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Commerce board of directors in 1971; the following year, he became |
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president of the Texas Retail Grocers Association, and in 1975 he |
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was named Retail Grocer of the Year by the National Association of |
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Retail Grocers of the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to achieving success in retail, |
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Mr. Wendl served on the board of the San Antonio branch of the |
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Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; appointed in 1990, he was named |
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chair in 1993 and served in that capacity through 1996; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Wendl gave back to the Corpus Christi community |
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by serving on the boards of the Art Museum of South Texas, the |
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Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, the Christus Spohn Health System |
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Foundation, and the local chapter of the National Conference of |
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Christians and Jews; he played an active role in the Corpus Christi |
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Rotary Club, the Corpus Christi Mustangs, and numerous other local |
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organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, A member of the German Society of the Coastal Bend, |
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Mr. Wendl was made an honorary consul of the Federal Republic of |
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Germany and was awarded the Order of Merit from the German |
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government; while he never lost his German accent, he would always |
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answer those curious about his origin by saying proudly, "I'm a |
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Texan by choice"; and |
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WHEREAS, Though Erich Wendl achieved extraordinary success |
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in the business world, it is his humility, generosity, and devotion |
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to his family for which he will be remembered; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Erich E. Wendl and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Elvira Castillo Wendl; to his children, Karl D. Wendl and his wife, |
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Julie, and Barbara Pender and her husband, Donald; to his |
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grandchildren, Erich Wendl II, Brittany Ann Wendl, Rose Elizabeth |
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Pender, and Claire Miriam Pender; to his nephew, Dr. Florian Wendl, |
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and his niece, Johanna Wendl; to his sister-in-law, Gisela |
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Schmitt-Wendl; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it |
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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 Erich |
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E. Wendl. |