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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 100th birthday of an esteemed Texan is truly |
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cause for celebration, and John Jesse Balthazar of Houston reached |
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that impressive milestone on May 6, 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Jesse Balthazar was born in 1915 in Natchitoches, |
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Louisiana, to Louis and Rosa Balthazar, and he moved with his mother |
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and two sisters to Houston at the age of nine; after graduating from |
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Phillis Wheatley High School, he went to work in a drugstore, and it |
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was while he was employed there that he met his future wife, the |
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former Vernice Frilot; the couple were married in 1941, only three |
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days before he left for basic training with the U.S. Army; and |
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WHEREAS, During World War II, Mr. Balthazar served with an |
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engineering battalion, and he endured extremes of climate, helping |
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to build a highway in Alaska and then serving in the tropical |
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jungles of New Guinea, where he contracted malaria; and |
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WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Balthazar built a home in |
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Houston's Fifth Ward with his father-in-law, and he and |
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Mrs. Balthazar still live there today, some 70 years later; now |
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retired, Mr. Balthazar enjoyed a rewarding career with the U.S. |
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Postal Service, and he became one of the first African American |
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supervisors in Houston's downtown post office; he also operated a |
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gas station and a variety store for a time with his wife and his |
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sister; Mr. and Mrs. Balthazar have both been active members of the |
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National Association of Retired Federal Employees; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of strong religious faith, Mr. Balthazar has |
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been a leading member of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church for |
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decades, helping to establish a men's choir, raising funds to build |
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a new building, and serving as cofounder of the church's credit |
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union, which he also managed for many years; he has been active as |
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well with the church's bazaar and golf tournament, and he is a |
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longtime member of the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of Peter |
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Claver; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Balthazar continues to enjoy listening to big |
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band music and the blues, swinging his golf club, fishing, working |
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in his yard, and taking care of his dog; he takes special pleasure |
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in the time he spends with his children, Jesse Jude, Sidney Louis, |
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and Irma Rose, and his grandchildren, Jesse, Tia, Craig, Jerrald, |
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Kimberly, Ann, Mamie, and Mary; and |
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WHEREAS, Blessed with a host of loved ones and sustained by |
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his strong faith, Jesse Balthazar has gracefully reached the |
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century mark and continues to enrich the lives of all those who are |
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fortunate enough 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 congratulate John Jesse Balthazar on his 100th |
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birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued |
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happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Balthazar as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Dutton |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 3366 was adopted by the House on May |
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28, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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