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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The untimely death of Jefferson Jones Baskin of |
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Austin on March 25, 2015, at the age of 48, has brought a great loss |
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to the family and friends of this esteemed Texan; and |
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WHEREAS, Born to Pat and Joan Baskin in Midland on June 21, |
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1966, JJ Baskin completed his bachelor's degree in political |
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science at Trinity University; he went on to earn a master's degree |
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from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs at The |
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University of Texas at Austin; after starting his career in the |
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office of Texas State Comptroller Bob Bullock, he was hired as one |
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of the first employees in the successful attorney general campaign |
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of Dan Morales; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Baskin was primarily a Democrat, but he worked |
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in behalf of political campaigns for public servants in either |
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party who represented his values, and particularly his support for |
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education; he was a director of the nonpartisan organizations |
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Public Agenda and Texas Lyceum, and in 2013, he co-chaired the |
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latter's first-ever conference dedicated to philanthropy; one of |
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the state's leading experts on philanthropy, he lectured at dozens |
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of conferences and professional events across the state and nation; |
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he also served as an executive-on-loan to San Antonio Mayor Julian |
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Castro's SA2020 for philanthropy as well as for education; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply committed to education, Mr. Baskin was |
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employed for five years at the Southwest Educational Development |
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Laboratory; he was copresident of the PTA at Mathews Elementary |
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School, and he was president of the Austin Public Library |
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Foundation; through both the Austin Community Foundation and his |
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personal nonprofit organization, Education Capital, he led the |
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annual report and survey efforts for the Texas Education Foundation |
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Network; he was a Trinity University Associate and a member of the |
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Texas Exes Public Affairs Committee and the Coalition for |
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Excellence in Higher Education; in 2011, the Texas Ex-Student |
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Association named him the recipient of its prestigious Top Hand |
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Award; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Baskin was sustained by a strong faith; he was a |
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lifelong Presbyterian and an elder at Covenant Presbyterian Church |
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of Austin, where he served as clerk of the session; for many years, |
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he was a trustee of Mo Ranch, a Presbyterian retreat center, and he |
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chaired its strategic planning committee; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted family man, Mr. Baskin shared a fulfilling |
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relationship with his wife, Joy, and he took great pride in his |
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sons, Ben and Judge; his warmth, wit, and kindness brought him a |
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host of friends, and he found great satisfaction in helping to |
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connect like-minded people; when he was diagnosed with cancer in |
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2014, his large circle of admirers established JJ's Fight Club to |
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rally him in his valiant battle against the disease, and the group |
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now has members in all 50 states and well over a dozen countries; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Though it is impossible to gauge the full effect of |
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one person's life, some individuals leave their unmistakable mark |
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on the world as they move through it, and the selfless contributions |
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of JJ Baskin will continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough |
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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 Jefferson Jones |
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"JJ" Baskin and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Joy Surratt Baskin; to his sons, Ben Baskin and |
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Judge Baskin; to his mother, Joan Ragsdale Baskin; to his sister, |
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Becky Baskin Ferguson, and her husband, Doug; to his brothers, Bo |
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Baskin and Steve Ragsdale Baskin and his wife, Susie; and to his |
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many 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 Jefferson |
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Jones Baskin. |