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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a much-admired lawmaker and |
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friend to many with the death of former House Speaker Pro Tempore |
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D. R. "Tom" Uher of Bay City on March 9, 2019, at the age of 81; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1967, Representative Uher won a special election |
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to the house on his 30th birthday, December 16; his constituents in |
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Matagorda, Wharton, and Brazoria Counties would reelect him 17 |
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times, and he served as speaker pro tempore in the 73rd through 77th |
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Legislatures; over the course of more than three decades in office, |
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he chaired a number of committees, among them State Affairs and |
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Redistricting, and he served on many others as well, such as the |
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Education, Higher Education, and Ways and Means Committees; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Uher took special pride in the |
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passage of a bill he authored that allowed MD Anderson Cancer Center |
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patients access to care without referrals; charming and collegial, |
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he earned the affection of all his colleagues; he commonly ended |
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conversations by commending others as "a great American," and he |
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himself became fondly known as "the Great American"; after leaving |
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the house in 2003, he continued to share his wisdom and experience |
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as a mentor to his fellow elected officials, including Speaker |
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Dennis Bonnen; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Alfonso A. Uher and May Bittick Uher, Tom |
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Uher was born in Bay City in 1937, and he grew up with the |
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companionship of three siblings, Doris, Myrna, and LaVerne; he |
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completed both his bachelor's degree in business administration and |
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his law degree at The University of Texas and established his own |
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practice in his hometown; for 55 years, he continued to serve his |
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clients, relishing the work, and he also enjoyed tending to his |
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yard, coaching Little League, teaching Bible study at First |
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Presbyterian Church, and watching football, especially the |
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Longhorns; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Uher shared a rewarding marriage of |
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more than five and a half decades with his wife, Ann Hagaman Uher, |
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and they welcomed into their family two daughters, Christi and |
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Catherine, and a son, Robert, as well as two grandsons, Christopher |
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and the late Noah Carl Uher; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his steadfast dedication to public service, |
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Tom Uher made a lasting, positive impact in the lives of innumerable |
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Texans, and his contributions will be remembered for years to come; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable D. R. "Tom" Uher |
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and extend sincere condolences to all 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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former House Speaker Pro Tem Tom Uher. |