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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of an admired attorney and state legislator |
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drew to a close with the passing of former state representative |
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Thomas Paul Moore Jr. of Waco on April 16, 2017, at the age of 98; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Thomas and Clarabelle Moore, Tom Moore |
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was born in Waco on May 16, 1918; he worked his way through Baylor |
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University during the Great Depression and joined the United States |
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Army immediately after earning his law degree; while attending |
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military government school in Princeton, New Jersey, he met his |
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future wife, Natalie Barlow; they married in Monterey, California, |
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on June 16, 1944, just before he shipped out to Japan; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his return to Waco, Mr. Moore became an |
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assistant district attorney; he was an outstanding trial lawyer, |
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and in 1951, he was elected district attorney; during his |
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eight-year tenure, he tried such prominent cases as the Harry L. |
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Washburn murder prosecution, the first criminal trial to be |
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televised in the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Moore was a staunch Roosevelt Democrat and |
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ardent champion of civil rights, the labor movement, open |
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government, and equal access to power for all citizens; in 1967, he |
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won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives in a special |
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election, and he served through three legislative sessions; his |
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accomplishments were highlighted by his successful efforts to bring |
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about ethics reform as one of the "Dirty Thirty," a bipartisan group |
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of House members who united to fight corruption in the wake of the |
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Sharpstown stock fraud scandal; moreover, his eloquent |
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extemporaneous speeches so commanded attention in the house chamber |
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that one of his fellow legislators pronounced him a shoo-in for |
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Orator Laureate of Texas, should such a position be created; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1960 until 2014, Mr. Moore practiced general |
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civil and criminal defense law in Waco, and he never turned down a |
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client who needed his help, whether or not payment would be |
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forthcoming; he brought to the courtroom a sharp intellect, deep |
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experience, and a fierce commitment to defending the rights of his |
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clients; he continued to practice into his 90s, and in 2009, he |
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achieved what he considered the highest honor of his legal career |
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when he became the only attorney in McLennan County permitted to |
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appear in court without a tie; over the years, he was a mentor to |
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many attorneys and emphasized the importance of ethics as well as |
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skill; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Moore was the devoted father of three children, |
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Margaret, Elizabeth, and Thomas; following the death of his first |
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wife, Natalie, he was fortunate to find love a second time with |
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Robbie Farek, and their marriage in 1984 brought him another son, |
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Grant Farek; he was blessed with numerous grandchildren, Hillary, |
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Luke, Annie, Mark, Tom, Thomas, Jaclyn, Alize, and Gavyn, and |
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great-grandchildren, Jackson, Harrison, Sarah, Sadie, and Mabel; |
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while happiest when his family was gathered around to enjoy his |
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cooking, he also cherished the time he spent with dear friends, |
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including members of the gang that played gin rummy in his office |
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every afternoon for decades; he volunteered for Meals-on-Wheels for |
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more than 20 years, brightening the days of numerous people, and he |
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was an active Episcopalian, serving as a vestryman for both the |
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St. Alban's and Holy Spirit congregations; and |
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WHEREAS, From the courtrooms of McLennan County to the halls |
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of the Texas Capitol, Tom Moore devoted himself to seeking justice |
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and serving his fellow citizens, and he will forever hold a special |
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place in the hearts of those who were privileged to know him; 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 the Honorable |
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Thomas Paul Moore Jr. and extend sincere sympathy to all who mourn |
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his passing; 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 Tom Moore. |
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Anderson of McLennan |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1645 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 4, 2017. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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