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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The certain knowledge of a life well lived may |
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comfort those mourning the loss of Jerry Kelley of Helotes, who |
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passed away on March 26, 2017, at the age of 89; and |
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WHEREAS, Jerry Kelley was born on February 17, 1928, in |
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Christoval to Addie and Grover Kelley; a member of the Greatest |
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Generation, he grew up helping his family work the cotton fields |
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during the Depression and went on to enlist in the United States |
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Navy at the age of 16; he was stationed on the amphibious ship USS |
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LSM-447 in the Pacific theater of World War II from 1944 to 1946, |
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and when the United States entered the Korean War in 1950, he |
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returned to naval service and progressed to the rank of boatswain's |
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mate third class; on September 25, 1961, he was commissioned an |
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honorary admiral in the Texas Navy; and |
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WHEREAS, On his return to civilian life, Mr. Kelley began a |
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career of nearly three decades with Harte-Hanks Newspapers, where |
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as the state circulation manager, he was tasked with supervising |
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the distribution of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times to locations |
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across South Texas; he relocated in 1963 to serve in this same post |
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for the San Antonio Express-News, and after seven years on that job, |
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he was promoted to circulation director at the San Angelo |
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Standard-Times; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1975, Mr. Kelley was inspired to make a career |
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change, and he entered the field of specialty advertising, working |
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first with his uncle, John Kelley, and later with Howell & Windham |
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Advertising in Odessa; he continued this work until his retirement |
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at age 87, and along the way, he earned the respect and loyalty of |
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clients in many different industries; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Kelley shared a rewarding relationship with his |
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wife of 67 years, Mary, until her passing, and he was the loving |
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father of three children, Jerry, David, and Kathy; he also had the |
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joy of becoming a grandfather and great-grandfather many times |
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over; having worked hard to obtain his GED and to attend Victoria |
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College, he took great pride in seeing his children and |
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grandchildren receive college and postgraduate degrees and achieve |
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success for themselves; among his favorite pastimes were fishing on |
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the Concho River and the Gulf of Mexico, traveling the highways of |
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Texas, and sharing with his family and friends stories from days |
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past, including experiences from his time in the navy; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his lifetime, Jerry Kelley |
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distinguished himself as a courageous service member, an |
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accomplished professional, and a caring family man, and he will |
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long remain a source of inspiration for those he leaves behind; 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 Jerry Kelley and |
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extend sincere sympathy to all those who mourn his passing; and, be |
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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 Jerry |
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Kelley. |