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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Francis Edward Abernethy of Nacogdoches has long |
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played a vital role in his community and in the cultural life of |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The Distinguished Regents Professor Emeritus of |
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English at Stephen F. Austin State University, "Ab" Abernethy |
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taught SFA students for 32 years; he is also editor emeritus of the |
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Texas Folklore Society, and he has edited numerous volumes for the |
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organization, among them Tales from the Big Thicket, Legendary |
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Ladies of Texas, and Juneteenth Texas; in addition, he is the author |
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of poetry, short stories, a book on Texas folk music, and personal |
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accounts of his wide travels; in 1974 he was inducted into the Texas |
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Institute of Letters; and |
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WHEREAS, This remarkable Renaissance man performed around |
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the state for decades as a singer and bass fiddle player with the |
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East Texas String Ensemble, and he is known to local residents as |
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the builder of the Lanana Creek Trail; dedicated in 1986, it follows |
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an old Indian footpath; subsequently, he helped establish the |
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Banita Creek Trail; he has served as the curator of exhibits for the |
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East Texas Historical Association and has given generously of his |
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time and vast expertise to historic restoration and preservation |
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projects in Nacogdoches; for his many endeavors in behalf of his |
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fellow residents, he was named 2008 Citizen of the Year by the |
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Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Altus, Oklahoma, in 1925, Dr. Abernethy grew |
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up in the Texas Panhandle and East Texas and graduated from high |
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school in Nacogdoches; he served in the United States Navy during |
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World War II and took part in the occupation of Japan; after the |
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war, he hitchhiked and worked his way across the United States and |
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Canada before completing his bachelor's degree at SFA and his |
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master's degree at Louisiana State University; following a stint |
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teaching high school English in Woodville, he earned his doctoral |
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degree at LSU in, fittingly, Renaissance literature; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Abernethy taught English at Lamar University for |
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nine years at the beginning of his distinguished academic career; |
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along the way, he gained experience as a field biologist for |
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Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, and for two decades, he |
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participated in studies of Mexican cave fauna in the Sierra Madres |
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and the Yucatan; and |
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WHEREAS, A popular speaker, Ab Abernethy continues to share |
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his tremendous store of knowledge with the members of various |
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professional and civic organizations, and he has inspired |
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innumerable people with his love of learning, teaching, and living |
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life as fully as humanly possible; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Dr. Francis Edward Abernethy for his |
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myriad contributions to his community and to the Lone Star State and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Abernethy as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Clardy |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 238 was adopted by the House on March |
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5, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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