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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 16
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In Memory |
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of |
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Montgomery Blackwell Noelke, Jr. |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the |
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citizens of Mertzon in mourning the loss of Montgomery Blackwell |
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"Monte" Noelke, Jr., who died December 6, 2012, at the age of 84; and |
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WHEREAS, A rancher and writer known for his droll West |
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Texas wit, Mr. Noelke was a classic cowboy poet; for more than |
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five decades, his "Shortgrass Country" columns in the San |
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Angelo-based Livestock Weekly chronicled life on his Irion |
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County ranch and attracted a devoted flock of readers throughout |
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the western United States; and |
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WHEREAS, A fourth-generation rancher, he was born on June |
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17, 1928, in San Angelo; he attended The University of Texas at |
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Austin and returned to his childhood home of Mertzon, where he |
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settled with his late wife, Margaret, and together they raised |
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eight children; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Noelke revered nature and literature equally, |
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and friends recall that he was as moved by the birth of a new calf |
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as by the recital of an Irish poem; he spearheaded an expansion of |
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the Mertzon Library, and, as president of the Mertzon School |
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Board, he regularly invited visiting poets to expand the horizons |
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of young writers in the area; and |
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WHEREAS, His own horizons were broadened by travel, which |
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Mr. Noelke enjoyed sharing with his companion of the past 23 |
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years, the poet cowgirl Cheryl Clayton; the couple posted letters |
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home to Texas from places as far-flung as Africa, Indonesia, and |
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the Galapagos Islands; and |
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WHEREAS, Roundly admired by his community, Mr. Noelke was a |
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regional character, fond of wearing bow ties and delivering |
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home-cooked gourmet meals to people in need; his friends recall |
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that he once received a horse in lieu of payment for his |
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writing; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Noelke was both a world traveler and a folksy |
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iconoclast; he was a community servant, a family man, and a |
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Texas-size character who will be profoundly missed; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Montgomery Blackwell Noelke, Jr.; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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the members of his family as an expression of deepest sympathy |
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from the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this |
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day, it do so in memory of Monte Noelke. |
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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 January 23, 2013, by |
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a 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 |