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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family and friends will forever treasure their |
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memories of Jeffrey Allen Harford of Belton, who died on November |
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23, 2018, at the age of 66; and |
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WHEREAS, Jeff Harford was born to William and Frances Harford |
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in Belfast, Maine, on September 18, 1952, and he grew up with seven |
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siblings, Jerry, Ronnie, Bill, Steve, Marcia, Joni, and Ethel; |
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shortly after graduating from Belfast High School in 1970, he |
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enlisted in the U.S. Army and served for 26 years with great |
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distinction as a helicopter gunship pilot; during the first Gulf |
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War in 1990, he was deployed to Saudi Arabia and Iraq with the 229th |
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Aviation Regiment, also known as the Flying Tigers; returning home |
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in 1991, he moved to Fort Hood, where he retired in 1996 at the rank |
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of chief warrant officer 4; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Harford operated car washes in Belton and Harker |
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Heights for several years before coming back to Fort Hood as a |
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contractor; in 2007, he returned to active duty, serving in Iraq as |
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a helicopter pilot with the 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry |
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Regiment before retiring again in 2009, having accumulated 5,000 |
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hours of flying time; his commendations included the Legion of |
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Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air |
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Medal (3rd award), among many others; at the time of his death, he |
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was working again as a contractor at Fort Hood with System Studies |
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and Simulation; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Harford married his wife, Janet, in 1990, and |
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the couple shared 28 years together until his death; he was the |
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proud father of four children, Hunter, Holly, Heidi, and the late |
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Hope Harford, and later in life he was blessed with 11 grandchildren |
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and nine great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of deep religious faith, Mr. Harford was a |
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member of Temple Bible Church, where he served as a driver for the |
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Impact backyard Bible clubs and as a leader of community Bible study |
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sessions; he was also active with the Boy Scouts, helping to |
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coordinate adventure treks in New Mexico, Minnesota, and the |
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Bahamas; more recently, he served as den leader and cubmaster of Cub |
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Scout Pack No. 153, organizing the pack's most successful popcorn |
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fund-raiser, which garnered $36,000; and |
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WHEREAS, A devoted family man and a proud military veteran, |
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Jeff Harford lived a rich and purposeful life, and he leaves behind |
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a legacy of dedication to his nation and his community that will |
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forever inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, therefore, be |
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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 Jeffrey Allen |
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Harford and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many |
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friends; 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 Jeffrey |
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Allen Harford. |