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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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death of Donald Benjamin Fielding of Dallas, who passed away on |
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January 20, 2017, at the age of 94; and |
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WHEREAS, Donald Fielding was born in Dallas on July 7, 1922, |
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to Nathan and Bessie Finkelstein; he graduated as valedictorian |
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from Forest Avenue High School at the age of 15, and that same year |
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enrolled in the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, |
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in pursuit of a career in the foreign service; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating from the Wharton School in 1942, |
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Mr. Fielding attended the University of Havana briefly before his |
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induction into the U.S. Army; he attended the Infantry Officer |
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Candidate School and went on to serve as an operations and training |
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staff officer until his discharge at the rank of second lieutenant |
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in 1946; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning to Dallas, Mr. Fielding joined the family |
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business, National Shoes, where he worked for 42 years, opening |
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several additional locations in 1958, 1968, and 1977; he was also |
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active in Dallas politics from the 1960s until the 1990s, with a |
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particular interest in education, and he played a leading role in |
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the establishment of such advocacy organizations as the Citizens' |
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Committee for Better Schools, Citizens for Representative |
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Government, and the League for Educational Advancement in Dallas; |
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he was also active with the Boy Scouts of America, which he served |
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in several leadership positions, including chair of the High Trail |
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Scout District; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Fielding married Virginia Lee Tipton in 1950, |
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and they shared their lives for 63 years, until her death in 2013; |
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the couple were the proud parents of four children, Ronnie, Linda, |
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B. Donald, and Paul, and they were blessed with many grandchildren |
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and great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted family man and an engaged citizen, Donald |
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Fielding lived a life rich with purpose, and he leaves behind a |
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record of service that his loved ones can remember with pride; now, |
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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 Donald Benjamin |
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Fielding and extend sincere condolences to his relatives and |
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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 Donald |
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Fielding. |