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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Andrew Lee Higgins, a longtime coach and teacher in |
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the Houston Independent School District, passed away on November 2, |
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2014, at the age of 68, leaving his loved ones to treasure a life |
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that was rich in meaningful accomplishments; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Higgins was born to Columbus and Cleopatra |
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Higgins on May 28, 1946, in Brazoria; the 10th of 13 children, he |
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grew up in a small farming community known as Higgins Settlement, |
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near Sweeny; Mr. Higgins was an accomplished athlete at George |
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Washington Carver High School, where he earned All-State honors as |
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a member of the school's football team; after finishing high |
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school, he continued to play football at Wharton Junior College and |
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then at Texas Southern University; he earned a bachelor's degree in |
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physical education at TSU and later returned to the university to |
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complete a master's degree in the same field; and |
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WHEREAS, While in college, Andrew Higgins met the love of his |
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life, Verlinda Joyce Cox, and they exchanged the vows of matrimony |
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on December 4, 1971, after a whirlwind romance; the couple shared a |
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rewarding marriage that spanned nearly 43 years, and they became |
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the proud parents of four children, Andrea, Andrew, Ashley, and |
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Angela; Mr. Higgins also experienced the joy of welcoming six |
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grandchildren into his cherished family; and |
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WHEREAS, Andrew Higgins taught and coached at Northwood |
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Middle School in the North Forest Independent School District |
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before joining the Houston ISD; he went on to coach baseball and |
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football at Westbury, Sterling, and Worthing High Schools and to |
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lead several of his teams to district championships; dedicated to |
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his students, he continued to work even after receiving a leukemia |
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diagnosis in 2004, though health concerns ultimately caused him to |
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retire after a sterling 37-year career; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed gentleman was active in a number of |
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worthwhile organizations and causes in the Bayou City; he |
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volunteered his time as a precinct chair and precinct judge for |
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Precinct 140 and served as a delegate to state and national |
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Democratic conventions; moreover, he was a valued congregant of |
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Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, which he joined in 1966, and he |
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served as a member of the church's Courtesy Corps and as a |
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scoutmaster for its Boy Scout troop; he was also a member of the |
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Texas Coaches Association, Riverside Terrace Civic Club, and Phi |
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Beta Sigma Fraternity; and |
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WHEREAS, Andrew Higgins lived a full and generous life |
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centered on his family, his students, and his community, and he will |
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long be remembered with deep affection by all those who were |
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privileged to know him; 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 Andrew Lee Higgins |
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and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Verlinda Higgins; to his children, Andrea Simon and her |
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husband, Ramon, Andrew Higgins and his wife, Wendy, Ashley Higgins, |
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and Angela Redding and her husband, Nathan; to his grandchildren, |
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Symone, Sydney, and Ryan Simon, Brisa and Sofia Higgins, and James |
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Redding; to his siblings, Stratton Higgins and his wife, Thelma, |
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Carrie Sneed, Jerry Higgins Sr. and his wife, Jean, Travis Higgins |
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and his wife, Erma, Polly Cooper and her husband, Ernest, Geneva |
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Shannon, Priscilla Wilkins, Lannis Higgins, and Lola Newman and her |
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husband, Calvin; to his mother-in-law, Dicy Bolivar; 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 Andrew Lee |
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Higgins. |