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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life of professional achievement and dedicated |
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public service drew to a close with the passing of former state |
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representative Gary Thompson on April 13, 2017, at the age of 80; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Vernon, Gary Thompson was born on June |
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15, 1936, to Virgil and Floy Thompson; he graduated from Tyler High |
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School in 1954 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree at Abilene |
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Christian University in 1960; he subsequently completed a master's |
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degree at the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. at North Texas |
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State University; and |
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WHEREAS, After holding teaching and coaching positions in New |
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Mexico and Arizona, Dr. Thompson moved to Abilene in 1967 and |
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embarked on a career at ACU that spanned more than four decades; |
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over the course of his distinguished tenure at the university, he |
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served as a professor of political science and department chair, as |
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well as chair of the Faculty Senate and director of the American |
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Enterprise Forum and the Taft Institute for Teachers; from 1986 to |
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1995, he took a break from the classroom to work as director of |
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governmental relations for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, |
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after which he returned to his alma mater, where he remained until |
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his retirement in 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1978, Dr. Thompson was elected to the first of |
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four consecutive terms in the Texas House of Representatives; |
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during his years in the legislature, he held membership on the Ways |
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and Means Committee, the Sunset Advisory Commission, the State |
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Affairs Committee, and the County Affairs Committee, which he |
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chaired; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan also devoted his time and |
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talents to advancing a host of worthy causes within his community; |
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he was a member of Kiwanis International and a board and committee |
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member for such organizations as the National Multiple Sclerosis |
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Society, the West Central Texas Council of Governments, Meals on |
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Wheels, and the Boys & Girls Club of Abilene, as well as the |
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Leadership Abilene program of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce; a |
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man of abiding faith, he was a longtime congregant at University |
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Church of Christ in Abilene, where he served as a deacon and |
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volunteered with the prison ministry; and |
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WHEREAS, Gary Thompson and his wife, Nancy, met as students |
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at ACU and married in 1958; the couple became the proud parents of |
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two children, Tom and Jane, and shared a devoted union of 56 years, |
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before Mrs. Thompson's passing in 2014; and |
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WHEREAS, A beloved educator and admired civic leader and |
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public servant, Dr. Gary Thompson left an indelible mark on |
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countless lives, and those who were blessed to share in his love and |
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affection will forever carry him close in their hearts; 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 Gary |
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Thompson and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: |
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to his son, Dr. Tom Thompson, and his wife, Beth; to his daughter, |
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Jane Koble, and her husband, Chuck; to his grandchildren, Amee, |
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Sarah, Emily, Ava, Alex, and Tate, and his step-grandchildren, Beau |
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and Austin; and to all who mourn 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 Dr. Gary |
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Thompson. |