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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, James E. Buckner Jr. of Corpus Christi passed away |
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on January 9, 2017, at the age of 62, bringing a great loss to his |
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family and friends; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Shirley Buckner and James Buckner Sr., |
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Jim Buckner was born in Galveston on September 30, 1954; he |
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completed his bachelor's degree in wildlife fisheries science at |
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Texas A&M University and went on to work for the Texas A&M Marine |
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Advisory Service as a marine agent for five years; subsequently, he |
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enrolled at the University of Houston--Clear Lake and earned a |
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master's degree in hospital administration; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Buckner was employed at Rice District Community |
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Hospital and Cuero Community Hospital before becoming CEO of Uvalde |
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Memorial Hospital in 2004; among other accomplishments, he guided |
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the building of the Women's Imaging Center and played a key role in |
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the construction of the Kate Marmion Regional Cancer Center; under |
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his leadership, Uvalde Memorial received the prestigious 2012 Press |
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Ganey Distinctive Workplace Award, and it was named Uvalde Business |
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of the Year; he became CEO of Dimmit Regional Hospital in 2013 and |
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oversaw numerous additions and improvements; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to improving rural health care, |
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Mr. Buckner served two terms as chair of the Texas Organization of |
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Rural and Community Hospitals, which presented him with its Gordon |
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Russell Merit Award in 2011; he also served on the state's Medicare |
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Reform Board; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Buckner cherished his family above all; he |
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shared a fulfilling marriage of more than 42 years with his wife, |
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Rebecca Southworth Buckner, and he loved spending time with his |
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four daughters, Elizabeth, Sarah, Melissa, and Jessica, as well as |
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his adopted daughter, Stephanie, and his 18 grandchildren, who |
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called him "Paca"; a man of deep faith, he served the Church of |
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Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as branch president in three |
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different congregations and as a stake high councilman, young men's |
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president, and teacher; he was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed |
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saltwater fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, camping, hunting, and |
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gardening; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Jim Buckner is deeply missed, memories of |
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his kindness, compassion, and devotion will forever remain to |
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comfort and inspire those he has left behind; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of James E. Buckner Jr. |
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and extend sincere condolences to his relatives and 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 Jim |
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Buckner. |