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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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passing of Aubrey Elton Cole Sr. of Buna on January 28, 2017, at the |
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age of 90; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Providence Walter Cole and Agnes Clark |
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Cole, Aubrey Cole was born in Hemphill on April 29, 1926; his family |
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moved to Jasper County when he was 10 and eventually settled in the |
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Buna area, where Mr. Cole continued to live for the rest of his |
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life; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Cole spent 10 years with the Texas Forest |
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Service early in his career before working in the shipbuilding and |
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ironworking industries; in 1972, he won election as sheriff of |
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Jasper County, a position he held for nearly 19 years; during his |
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exemplary tenure, he earned the respect and admiration of his |
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fellow citizens, and in recognition of his outstanding |
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contributions as a peace officer, the Jasper County jail was named |
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the Aubrey E. Cole Law Enforcement Center; and |
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WHEREAS, A member of Buna Masonic Lodge No. 1095 for 60 |
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years, Mr. Cole served the lodge as past master and as deputy |
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district grandmaster for District 25B of the Most Worshipful Grand |
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Lodge of Texas; he and his first wife were designated Redbud Royalty |
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by the Buna Chamber of Commerce, and in 1997, the chamber named him |
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Citizen of the Year; in his leisure hours, he enjoyed hunting, |
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fishing, and farming, and he was renowned for his knowledge of local |
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history, his gift for storytelling, and his infectious smile; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Cole was joined in matrimony to the former |
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Rebecca "Jackie" Lambert in 1944, and they shared more than six |
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decades of marriage, until her passing; his life was further |
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enriched by his seven children, Aubrey Cole Jr., W. C. Cole, Becky |
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Cleveland, Mary Herrington, Novie Hammock, Frances Tomlin, and |
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Tammy Hays; after the death of his first wife, he was fortunate |
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enough to find love again with Mary Smith, and he became a devoted |
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stepfather to her three children, Rhonda, Joe, and Tony; as the |
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years passed, he was blessed with 19 grandchildren, 8 |
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step-grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, 8 |
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step-great-grandchildren, and 8 great-great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family and his community, |
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Aubrey Cole leaves behind a record of service that his loved ones |
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can remember with pride; 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 life of Aubrey Elton Cole Sr. |
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and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and many 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 Aubrey |
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Elton Cole Sr. |
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White |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 708 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on March 16, 2017. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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