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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and remarkable life drew to a close with the |
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passing of acclaimed gospel singer George Beverly Shea on April 16, |
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2013, at the age of 104; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Shea was born on February 1, 1909, in |
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Winchester, Ontario, to the Reverend A. J. Shea and Maude Whitney |
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Shea; he grew up singing in his father's church and attended |
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Annesley College and Houghton College; after concluding his |
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studies, he took a job as a clerk and also worked in broadcasting, |
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later becoming an announcer and staff soloist at radio station WMBI |
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in Chicago; it was there that a young pastor named Billy Graham |
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asked him to sing on the radio program "Songs in the Night," |
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beginning a professional collaboration between the two that would |
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ultimately span six decades; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1947, Mr. Shea traveled to Charlotte, North |
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Carolina, to sing in one of Reverend Graham's first citywide |
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crusades, and he went on to perform at events with the well-known |
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evangelist until the early 2000s; he was also a prolific recording |
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artist and composer who released over 70 albums of sacred music and |
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wrote such songs as "I'd Rather Have Jesus"; widely respected by his |
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peers, he received 10 Grammy nominations, a Grammy Award, and a |
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Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, among a host of other accolades; |
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in addition, he was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall |
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of Fame, the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the |
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Hall of Faith of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, George Beverly Shea brought joy to innumerable |
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people by sharing his deep faith through song, and his recorded |
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legacy will remain a source of inspiration in the years to come; |
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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 George Beverly Shea |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Karlene Shea; to his son, Ronald Shea, and his wife, Kathy; to |
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his daughter, Elaine Anderson; to his granddaughter, Tamara |
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Anderson; to his brother, Alton Shea; to his sister, Ruth Willett; |
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to his stepchildren and their spouses, Steve and Fran Aceto and |
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Nanci and Jack Edwards; to his step-grandchildren and their |
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spouses, Ben and Tiffany Aceto and their children, Kylie Aceto and |
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Knox Hampton Aceto, Bill and Sallie Aceto, Matheson and Jeff White, |
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and Ellis Edwards; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be |
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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 George |
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Beverly Shea. |