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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life filled with meaningful service drew to a |
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close with the passing of Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Terry |
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Bruce Burkett of Dublin, Texas, on May 9, 2015, at the age of 69; and |
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WHEREAS, The youngest child of Edith Gabel and Lowell |
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Burkett, Terry Burkett was born in Le Mars, Iowa, on April 26, 1946; |
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he graduated from Cooper High School in Abilene in 1964 and enlisted |
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to serve his country as a member of the U.S. Navy; in the course of a |
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distinguished military career that spanned more than 22 years, he |
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completed three tours of duty in Vietnam as a naval aircrewman and |
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logged more than 6,000 flight hours as an aircrew chief; he received |
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numerous accolades for his service, including the Air Medal, two |
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Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals, two Navy |
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Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Battle Effectiveness Award, |
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and five Good Conduct Medals; and |
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WHEREAS, After retiring, Mr. Burkett worked tirelessly in |
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behalf of his fellow veterans, serving as commander and |
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quartermaster of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3377 in Manchaca and |
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as an active member of the Texas Association of Vietnam Veterans and |
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the Vietnam Veterans of America; and |
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WHEREAS, In one of Mr. Burkett's most notable efforts to |
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honor former members of the armed forces, he spent eight years on |
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the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument Executive Committee; |
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his dedicated support for the project also included service as |
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chair of the Veterans Outreach Committee, monitoring production and |
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casting of the bronze sculpture, maintaining a list of over 600 |
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donors who contributed to the initiative, and helping construct an |
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educational companion website; moreover, he was a member of the |
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Groundbreaking and Dedication Ceremony Subcommittees and |
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participated in a historic reading of the names of all 3,417 Texans |
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who were killed or went missing in Vietnam; and |
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WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Mr. Burkett enjoyed the |
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love and support of his wife, Karen, and he was the proud father of |
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four children, Christopher, Kelly, Jeffrey, and Lowell, and four |
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stepchildren, Franklin, Charles, Douglas, and Samantha; over the |
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years, his family grew to include 20 grandchildren and 3 |
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great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, A respected military veteran who devoted himself to |
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ensuring that service members were properly honored for their |
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sacrifice, Terry Burkett touched many lives during his journey on |
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this earth, and those who had the good fortune to know him will |
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forever hold him close in their hearts; 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 Senior Chief Petty |
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Officer (Ret.) Terry Bruce Burkett and extend sincere sympathy to |
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the members of his family: to his wife, Karen Ayn Burkett; to his |
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children, Christopher Leigh Burkett, Kelly Ann Fanelli, Jeffrey |
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Allen Burkett, and Lowell David Burkett; to his stepchildren, |
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Franklin James Barnard, Charles Michael Barnard, Douglas Gene |
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Moore, and Samantha Kay Graham; to his 20 grandchildren and 3 |
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great-grandchildren; to his sisters, Marge Barnhill and Linda |
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Smith; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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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 Terry Bruce |
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Burkett. |