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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Austin lost two beloved residents with |
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the passing of Dorothy Louise Nelson on April 21, 2015, at the age |
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of 92, and of her husband, Edward M. Nelson Jr., on May 16, 2015, at |
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the age of 90; and |
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WHEREAS, The former Dorothy Cornforth was born to John and |
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Ruby Cornforth on November 7, 1922, in Taylor, and she graduated |
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from Taylor High School; and |
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WHEREAS, Edward Nelson Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, |
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on December 5, 1924, to Edward Nelson Sr. and Florence Nelson; an |
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alumnus of John H. Reagan High School in Houston, he answered his |
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nation's call to duty during World War II by enlisting in the United |
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States Navy; after completing training in Pass Christian, |
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Mississippi, he served at sea for six months, delivering fuel to air |
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bases in Iceland, England, and Scotland; he subsequently attended |
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the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where he received a bachelor of |
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science degree, and following his military service, he earned a |
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degree in mechanical engineering from The University of Texas at |
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Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, The couple exchanged vows of matrimony on June 15, |
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1946, and over the course of nearly seven decades together, they |
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nurtured a rewarding union that was made even richer with the |
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addition of two children, Edward and Deborah, as well as four |
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grandchildren, Alexander, Charlie, Emily, and Travis, and a |
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great-grandson, Barrett; and |
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WHEREAS, After beginning his career in the petrochemical |
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industry along the Gulf Coast of Texas, Mr. Nelson was hired by |
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J. Ray McDermott in 1961, and his job soon took him and his wife |
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across the globe, with assignments in such cities as The Hague, |
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Beirut, Brussels, and London; he spearheaded efforts to set up a |
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marine supply base in Great Yarmouth, England, and a docking space |
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for offshore construction vessels in Amsterdam, and he later |
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purchased 800 acres of land near Inverness, Scotland, for a |
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fabrication facility; in the latter part of his career, he |
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negotiated contracts in Switzerland, England, China, and Brazil, |
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and Mrs. Nelson ably managed their household transfers, finances, |
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children's schooling, and many other needs, even while in |
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environments of foreign customs and languages; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in community life, Mr. Nelson served as a |
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member of the Baytown Independent School District board of trustees |
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and as president and a board member of Vaughn House, a charity that |
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aids deaf adults with mental disabilities, and Mrs. Nelson made |
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beautiful quilts for the homeless and for immigrant families |
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through Refugee Services of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, The Nelsons also were deeply devoted to their |
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Christian faith, and over the years, they taught Sunday school at |
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University United Methodist Church in Austin and St. Mark's United |
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Methodist Church in Baytown and volunteered with Kingdom Kamp, an |
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annual retreat for adults with mental disabilities; moreover, they |
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were founding members of the American International Church in |
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London as well as valued congregants of Faith United Methodist |
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Church in Austin and later Riverbend Church, where they contributed |
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to the Mobile Loaves and Fishes Ministry and where Mr. Nelson led |
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the men's Bible study group; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout their lives, Edward and Dorothy Nelson |
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remained dedicated to their faith, their family, and to one |
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another, and though they are deeply missed, the couple left behind a |
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notable legacy that will continue to resonate in their community |
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for years to come; 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 Edward M. Nelson |
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Jr. and Dorothy Louise Nelson and extend sincere condolences to the |
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members of their family: to their children, Edward and his wife, |
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Olga, and Deborah and her husband, Wayne; to their grandchildren, |
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Alexander, Charlie, Emily, and Travis; to their great-grandson, |
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Barrett; and to their 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 their family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Edward |
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Nelson Jr. and Dorothy Nelson. |