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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Colonel Joe Tom Haney, former band director at Texas |
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A&M University, passed away on March 9, 2016, at the age of 88, |
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leaving behind a remarkable legacy of service to the Aggie |
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community; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Colorado City, Texas, on August 19, 1927, |
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Joe Haney was the son of Clyde and Vista Mae Haney; after his father |
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died unexpectedly, he moved with his mother to Marlin, where she |
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worked as a bookkeeper and taught her son piano; she also wrote |
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children's plays for a local Presbyterian school, which provided |
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Mr. Haney with his first experiences composing music; he went on to |
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play trombone in the Marlin High School Band; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his graduation in 1944, he enrolled at |
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Texas A&M and joined the band, but he was soon drafted into the |
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United States Army; he served for 14 months in Korea, playing first |
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trombone in the 282nd Army Band, before his honorable discharge in |
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1947; returning to his studies, he earned a bachelor's degree in |
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music from Southern Methodist University in 1950, and he also |
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completed a master's degree at Sam Houston State University in |
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1954; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Haney began his career as a band director at |
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Hemphill High School, and he later led bands in Calvert, Wharton, |
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and Mexia with considerable success in UIL competitions; in 1972, |
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he was invited to become the associate director of the Fightin' |
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Texas Aggie Band; the following year, he organized the Texas A&M |
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University Symphonic Band, opening participation to students |
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outside of the Corps of Cadets; among his many influential |
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achievements, he composed the signature song of the Aggie Band, |
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"Noble Men of Kyle," and he wrote an arrangement of "The Spirit of |
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Aggieland" that has been performed at all university football games |
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since 1968; and |
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WHEREAS, Colonel Haney's outstanding contributions to the |
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Aggie Band were acknowledged with the renaming of the band's drill |
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field in his honor; on his retirement as band director in 1989, he |
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was bestowed the title of director emeritus by the A&M Board of |
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Regents, and he was further recognized with the Former Students |
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Distinguished Achievement Award and the BMI Music in Sports Award; |
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in all his endeavors, he enjoyed the love and support of his wife, |
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Mary, with whom he shared 62 years of marriage; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a long and successful career, Joe |
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Haney exemplified the highest standards of excellence and |
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commitment to his calling, and he will be remembered with great |
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admiration and affection for many years to come; now, therefore, be |
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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 Colonel Joe Tom Haney |
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and extend sincere sympathy to all those who mourn his passing; 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 Joe Haney. |