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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of a respected public servant drew to a |
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close with the passing of former state representative Phillip R. |
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Cates of Dripping Springs on July 13, 2014, at the age of 67; and |
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WHEREAS, Phil Cates was born in Pampa on January 6, 1947, to |
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Herman and Lavern Cates, and he grew up in Lefors, which he was fond |
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of calling "a town of 500 kinfolks, and they're all mine"; after |
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graduating from high school, he attended West Texas A&M University, |
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where he began his career in politics by winning four elections to |
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the Student Senate; during his university years, he was also a |
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member of the Baptist Student Union and Lambda Chi Alpha |
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fraternity; and |
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WHEREAS, At the age of 23, Mr. Cates was elected to his first |
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term in the Texas House of Representatives after winning a tightly |
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contested primary by two votes; he went on to represent his Texas |
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Panhandle constituents for four terms, from 1971 to 1979; during |
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that time, he furthered the work of the chamber through his |
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membership on a variety of committees, and he served as chair of the |
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Environmental Affairs Subcommittee on Pollution Control and as vice |
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chair of the Business and Industry and Human Resources Committees, |
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working with former speaker Rayford Price; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving the Texas Legislature, Mr. Cates |
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moved with his family to Shamrock, where he worked as the director |
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of the chamber of commerce, became part owner of the Shamrock Texan |
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newspaper, and helped to establish Red River Savings and Loan; |
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eager to get back into politics, he moved with his family again to |
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Houston, where he worked for former speaker Byron Tunnell at |
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Tenneco, Inc., serving as a lobbyist in nine Southeastern states |
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for nine years; from 1980 to 1981, he lobbied for the Texas |
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Association of Business, and then he worked as a lobbyist with |
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former speaker Bill Clayton for eight years; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, Mr. Cates started his own lobbying firm, |
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Texas Stakeholders, which he operated until the time of his death; |
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he and his team created the well-known "Paint the Capitol Day," |
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promoting the paint and coatings industry; in recognition of his |
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legislative and professional accomplishments, he received the |
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Distinguished Alumnus Award from the West Texas A&M University |
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Alumni Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Cates met his future wife, Nancy Holt, while |
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they were students at WTAMU, and they were married in 1970; the |
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couple shared a rewarding marriage that spanned four and a half |
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decades, and they raised two sons, Andrew and John; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family and to the Lone Star |
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State, Phil Cates made a positive difference in the lives of |
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countless Texans, and he will be fondly remembered by his |
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colleagues at the Texas Capitol and by all those who had the good |
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fortune 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 life of the Honorable Phillip |
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R. Cates and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Nancy Cates; to his sons, Andrew Cates and John |
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Cates and his wife, Ruth; to his grandchildren, Ty Quincy and |
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Elisabeth Carmen; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, |
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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 Phillip R. |
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Cates. |