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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 and friends |
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of Walter Hoxie Smith of Midland, who passed away on January 6, |
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2015, at the age of 60; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Smith was born on October 29, 1954, in Du Quoin, |
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Illinois, to Frank Hoxie Smith and Virginia Smith; at a young age, |
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he developed an affinity for the outdoors while hiking and |
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backpacking in Colorado at the Perry-Mansfield Boys Camp; he went |
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on to attend Colorado State University, where he earned a |
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bachelor's degree in geology in 1982; while employed by Dawson |
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Geophysical Company in Midland, he attained his master's degree in |
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geology from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin in 1995; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The following year, Mr. Smith began working as a |
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principal and vice president of GeoSpectrum, Inc., in Midland; he |
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served as project manager and regional director of FutureGen with |
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the United States Department of Energy and was also a consultant |
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with Summit Energy; in 2003, he became the director of the Midland |
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College Petroleum Professional Development Center, where he |
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created workshops and continuing education courses for oil and gas |
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professionals in the Permian Basin region; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Smith was well respected in both his chosen |
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field and in his outside interests; he authored or co-authored more |
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than 25 publications, and he was a presenter at national |
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conventions of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, |
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the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and the Society of Exploration |
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Geophysicists, among others; he was active at Grace Presbyterian |
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Church with the Community Bible Study group, and he played guitar in |
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the Backsliders, a bluegrass gospel group; he also served with the |
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Kairos Prison Ministry in the Lynaugh Unit at Fort Stockton; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Smith was the proud father of two daughters, |
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Alyssa and Lauren; in their youth, he enjoyed taking road trips with |
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them to go camping, skiing, hiking, and fishing and to explore all |
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that the outdoors had to offer; he also counted traveling with his |
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beloved wife, Sally, among his greatest pleasures; and |
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WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known Hoxie Smith |
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will remember the warmth and kindness he brought into their lives, |
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and he will forever hold a treasured place in the hearts of his |
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family and friends; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Walter Hoxie Smith |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Sally Smith; to his daughters, Alyssa and Lauren Smith; to his |
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mother, Virginia Smith; to his brothers, George Smith and his wife, |
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Susan Gray, and Daniel Smith and his wife, Cathy; to his sister, |
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Suzanne Rawlings; and to his other loved ones; 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 Hoxie |
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Smith. |