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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of Joseph Ray Perry on April 27, 2017, at |
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the age of 92 marked the end of a long and purposeful life that |
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encompassed honorable service to his country and his community; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on April 23, 1925, in the Paint Creek community |
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of Haskell County, Ray Perry was the eldest child of Hoyt and Thelma |
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Dinsmore Perry; after graduating from high school in 1943, he |
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joined the United States Army Air Corps at the height of World War |
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II; assigned as a tail gunner on B-17 bombers, he flew a total of 35 |
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missions over war-torn Europe and earned several medals for his |
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valor in combat; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his return to civilian life, Mr. Perry |
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exchanged wedding vows with the former Amelia June Holt, whom he had |
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met on a blind date; they went on to enjoy nearly 70 years of |
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marriage and became the loving parents of two children, Milla Perry |
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Jones and James Richard Perry; Rick Perry followed in his father's |
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footsteps to serve in the U.S. Air Force before returning to the |
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family farm in Paint Creek in 1977, and the pair farmed and ranched |
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together for more than a decade until the younger Perry was elected |
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the Texas commissioner of agriculture; Ray Perry knew the pride of |
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seeing his son build a stellar career in public office by becoming |
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the longest-serving governor in state history and later being |
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appointed to his current post as the U.S. secretary of energy; and |
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WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of Haskell County, Ray Perry |
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embarked on a 28-year tenure as county commissioner following his |
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initial election victory in 1968; his community service also |
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included 10 years on the Paint Creek school board and six years on |
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the West Central Texas Council of Governments, which he led as |
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president for a time, and he was a member of the local water board as |
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well; his retirement in the 1990s allowed him more time to enjoy |
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visits from his family, which had grown to include his |
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daughter-in-law, Anita, his grandchildren, Griffin, Caitlyn, and |
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Sydney, and his great-grandchildren, Ella and Piper; and |
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WHEREAS, Ray Perry fought courageously for his nation and |
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went on to serve the residents of his county with equal commitment, |
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and memories of this esteemed Texan will forever be treasured by all |
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those who shared in the richness of his life; now, 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 life of Joseph Ray Perry and |
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extend deepest sympathy to his relatives and friends; and, be it |
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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 Joseph Ray |
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Perry. |