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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Tyler lost a beloved resident with the |
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death of Robert Frank Faulkner on August 28, 2018, at the age of 96; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Bob Faulkner was born to Sterry and Inez Faulkner on |
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January 16, 1922, in Duncan, Oklahoma, and he grew up in Electra, |
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Texas, where he graduated from high school; he was an Eagle Scout, |
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and he took part in the very first National Scout Jamboree in 1937; |
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answering his nation's call to duty, he served in the U.S. Army Air |
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Corps in the Pacific during World War II; and |
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WHEREAS, After the war, Mr. Faulkner attended the University |
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of Oklahoma, where he lettered in tennis and earned a bachelor's |
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degree in mechanical engineering; in 1948, he settled in Tyler, and |
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he went on to become one of the first air conditioning engineers in |
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East Texas; in 1975, he earned a U.S. patent for a solar panel; and |
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WHEREAS, A gifted tennis player, Mr. Faulkner cofounded the |
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Tyler Tennis and Swim Club, established the Faulkner Tennis Center |
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at Faulkner Park, and served as a volunteer tennis coach for the |
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Tyler schools; he also sponsored an awards dinner for local |
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players, and he was the host of the U.S. Tennis Association's Bob |
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Faulkner Super Champ Major Zone tennis tournament every summer; a |
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serious golfer as well, he was a longtime member of the Willow Brook |
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Country Club and a cofounder of Hollytree Country Club and |
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Briarwood Country Club, where he was golf champion for three years; |
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he played Santa Claus each Christmas at several children's homes |
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for half a century, and he helped establish the Historic Aviation |
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Memorial Museum at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Faulkner was married to Gloria Beth Weatherall |
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for nearly seven decades, until her death, and they were the parents |
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of two daughters, Karen and Buffie; Mr. Faulkner was later blessed |
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with four grandchildren, Robert, Richard, Courtney, and James, and |
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five great-grandchildren, Molly, John, Richard, Andrew, and Sarah; |
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a man of strong religious faith, he attended Marvin United |
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Methodist Church for 70 years, serving on the board of stewards, as |
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chair of the property committee, as a Sunday school teacher, and as |
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scoutmaster of Troop No. 336; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted family man and an esteemed leader in his |
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community, Bob Faulkner lived a rich and purposeful life, and he |
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leaves behind a record of good works that will long be remembered in |
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Tyler; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Robert Frank |
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Faulkner and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family and friends; |
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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 Robert |
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Frank Faulkner. |