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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and |
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meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family of William |
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W. Fomby of Hamlin, who passed away on April 13, 2013, at the age of |
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93; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Jones County on December 22, 1919, Bill |
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Fomby was the youngest of James William and Katherine Futrell |
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Fomby's seven children; in 1940, two years after graduating from |
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Hamlin High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy; and |
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WHEREAS, A gunner's mate first class, Mr. Fomby was stationed |
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at Pearl Harbor aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma during the |
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fateful Japanese surprise attack on December 7, 1941; although his |
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ship was struck and capsized, he survived and continued to serve the |
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war effort in the Pacific theater until the end of hostilities; and |
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WHEREAS, On returning home in 1947, Mr. Fomby met the love of |
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his life, Vie Bailey, and the two were married in Hamlin that same |
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year; in 1953, they moved to Odessa, where they lived for more than |
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four decades and raised their two children, Carla and James; the |
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couple returned to Hamlin in 1997; Mr. and Mrs. Fomby shared a |
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rewarding union of more than 50 years until her passing in 2001, and |
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over time, their family was blessed with the addition of four |
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grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan worked in oilfield sales covering |
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a 30-county territory in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico |
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until his retirement; he was a longtime member of Highland United |
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Methodist Church in Odessa, where he served on the administrative |
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board, as president of the Builders Sunday school class, and as a |
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Sunday school teacher, in addition to assisting with building |
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construction to accommodate the growing congregation; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Bill Fomby is deeply missed, he will long |
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be remembered with admiration and affection by all those who were |
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fortunate enough to share in the richness of his life; now, |
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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 memory of William W. Fomby |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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children, Carla Fomby and James Fomby; to his grandchildren, Scott |
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Stephens, Kenneth Link, Garrett Fomby, and Lauren Fomby; and to his |
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other relatives and friends; and, be 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 Bill Fomby. |