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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life well lived may help to comfort |
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those saddened by the passing of Cecil V. Young of Bowie on March |
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24, 2017, at the age of 97; and |
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WHEREAS, "Cy" Young was born in Bowie on October 2, 1919; |
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following his graduation from Bowie High School, he attended |
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Abilene Christian University on the school's first full-ride |
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football and academic scholarship and received a bachelor's degree |
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in 1941; he worked as a coach at Saint Jo High School, but following |
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the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the United States Navy; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, After completing boot camp in Virginia, Mr. Young |
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was sent to North Africa, where he was attached to the Allied Force |
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Headquarters in Algiers; promoted to the rank of lieutenant, he |
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returned stateside to complete additional training in New York and |
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California; he was then assigned to the USS Carteret, an attack |
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transport ship, as a boat officer and was deployed in January 1945 |
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to the Pacific theater, where the Carteret landed troops and |
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equipment during the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa; and |
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WHEREAS, Putting the G.I. Bill to good use, Mr. Young |
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enrolled in graduate school at The University of Texas at Austin, |
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and he went on to complete a master's degree at the University of |
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North Texas in 1952; he resumed his career as a coach and teacher, |
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serving at schools in Highland Park, Dallas, Graham, and Decatur; |
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over the years, he distinguished himself as founder and president |
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of the Bowie Educational Foundation, as president and legislative |
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chair of the Montague County Retired Teachers Association, and as |
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chair of the Texas High School Coaches Association, and he also |
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created what is thought to be the longest continuously running |
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track meet in the state, the Possum Kingdom Relays; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1991, this proud veteran established the Iwo Jima |
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Survivors Association of Texas, which hosted annual reunions for |
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those who fought in that epic battle; he recounted his war |
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experiences in the award-winning documentary Uncommon Valor: The |
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Battle of Iwo Jima; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Young and his first wife, the former Evelyn |
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Cohron, shared a rewarding marriage that spanned more than a |
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quarter century, before her passing in 1973; fortunate enough to |
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find love again, he was joined in matrimony to the former Estelle |
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Donald in 1981; he took immense pride in his three children, Randy, |
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Jan, and Kay, and his life was further enriched by his grandchildren |
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and great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Cy Young was devoted to his family, his community, |
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and his nation, and he will forever hold a special place in the |
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hearts of all who had the privilege to know him; 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 Cecil V. Young and |
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extend sincere condolences 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 Cy Young. |