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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of a dedicated public servant drew to a |
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close with the passing of former Ponderosa Fire Department fire |
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chief John Peter O'Gorman on February 18, 2015, at the age of 72; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, John O'Gorman was |
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born on November 30, 1942, to Arthur and Mary O'Gorman; he graduated |
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from the University of Notre Dame in 1964 and earned a master's |
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degree from Michigan State University the following year; |
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Mr. O'Gorman began his career with Shell Chemical in New York in |
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1966 and by the early 1970s had transferred to the company's Deer |
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Park facility; he served as emergency response coordinator there |
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from January 1981 until his retirement in December 1999; and |
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WHEREAS, John O'Gorman was committed to protecting and |
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serving his fellow citizens; a charter member of the Ponderosa Fire |
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Department, he held a number of important leadership positions |
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within the organization, including those of assistant chief, |
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training chief, and fire chief; he served in the latter capacity on |
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three occasions, from 1982 to 1985, 1994 to 1995, and 2000 to 2003; |
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moreover, he played an instrumental role in the establishment of |
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the PFD training facility as well as fire stations No. 2 and No. 3; |
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a valued mentor to a host of fellow firefighters, he retired from |
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the PFD in 2013 after four decades of dedicated service; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed gentleman additionally served for |
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many years as an instructor with the Texas A&M Engineering |
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Extension Service, sharing his skill and expertise with countless |
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students in its Municipal Fire School; Chief O'Gorman also helped |
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the Houston Fire Department to develop its HAZMAT Team, and he was a |
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charter member of the Hazardous Materials Committee of the |
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International Association of Fire Chiefs; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, John O'Gorman enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Elaine; he was the proud father of two |
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children, Elena and Patrick, and he knew the joy of welcoming two |
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grandchildren, Madeline and Mary, into his cherished family; and |
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WHEREAS, When not engaged in his family or professional |
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responsibilities, Chief O'Gorman delighted in woodworking, |
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collecting fire department patches, and cheering on his beloved |
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team; he was also a valued |
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congregant of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in New |
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Braunfels; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted to his family and his community, John |
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O'Gorman lived a caring and purposeful life, and he will forever be |
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remembered with great fondness and respect by his fellow |
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firefighters and by all who had the good fortune to know him; now, |
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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 John Peter O'Gorman |
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and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, Mary Elaine Thelen-O'Gorman; to his children, Elena O'Gorman |
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and Patrick O'Gorman and his wife, Diane; to his grandchildren, |
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Madeline and Mary O'Gorman; and to his other relatives and many |
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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 John Peter |
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O'Gorman. |
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Riddle |
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Anderson of Dallas |
Hernandez |
Phillips |
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Anderson of McLennan |
Herrero |
Pickett |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Johnson |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
Kacal |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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Burkett |
Keffer |
Romero, Jr. |
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Burrows |
King of Hemphill |
Sanford |
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Button |
King of Parker |
Schaefer |
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Canales |
King of Taylor |
Schofield |
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Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Schubert |
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Craddick |
Landgraf |
Simpson |
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Cyrier |
Laubenberg |
Smithee |
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Davis of Dallas |
Lozano |
Stephenson |
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Davis of Harris |
Lucio III |
Stickland |
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Deshotel |
Márquez |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Dukes |
Martinez |
Thompson of Harris |
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Dutton |
Martinez Fischer |
Tinderholt |
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Elkins |
McClendon |
Turner of Collin |
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Faircloth |
Metcalf |
Turner of Harris |
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Fallon |
Meyer |
Turner of Tarrant |
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Farney |
Miller of Comal |
Villalba |
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Farrar |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
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Flynn |
Morrison |
White of Bell |
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Frank |
Muñoz, Jr. |
White of Tyler |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1260 was unanimously adopted by a rising |
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vote of the House on March 26, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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