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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 422
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In Memory |
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of |
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Ruth Cowie Buerkle |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and pays |
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tribute to the life of preservationist Ruth Cowie Buerkle, who |
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died February 18, 2013, at the age of 89; and |
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WHEREAS, Born March 3, 1923, Ruth spent her formative years |
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at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, where her widowed mother had |
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found work in the officer's club; Ruth's love for the historic |
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infantry post would later spark her conservation efforts; and |
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WHEREAS, As a young girl, she lived the life of an officer's |
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child; she met such military figures as Douglas MacArthur and |
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Dwight Eisenhower and occasionally stayed overnight with Mamie |
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Eisenhower when the future president was away; and |
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WHEREAS, After Ruth graduated from Jefferson High School |
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in 1940, she attended nursing school and then joined the Army |
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Nurse Corps, serving as a psychiatric nurse at Fort Polk, |
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Louisiana; in 1949, she married military officer Bill Buerkle; |
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the couple moved frequently, and Ruth enthusiastically studied |
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the language and cultures of the countries in which they were |
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stationed, which included Japan and Turkey; and |
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WHEREAS, In the 1960s, the Buerkle family returned to Fort |
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Sam Houston; when several historic buildings were threatened |
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with demolition, Ruth cofounded the Fort Sam Houston Historical |
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Society; she also created the Fort Sam Houston Museum, and for |
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her dedication to conservation, she received a commendation from |
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the Army's Center of Military History; and |
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WHEREAS, This remarkable activist was beloved by many and |
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will be long remembered for her extraordinary mind and her |
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unflagging efforts to save a cherished piece of Texas history; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, |
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83rd Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the |
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bereaved family of Ruth Cowie Buerkle; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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her 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 Ruth Buerkle. |
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Van de Putte |
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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 March 11, 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 |