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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of an admired lawmaker and philanthropist |
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drew to a close with the passing of former state representative and |
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state senator Murray Watson Jr. of Mart on July 24, 2018, at the age |
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of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Mart on May 14, 1932, Murray Watson was the |
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son of Murray Watson Sr. and Ethel Bryson Watson; he worked at the |
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family feed store as a boy and completed his bachelor's and law |
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degrees at Baylor University; when he was only 24, he won election |
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to the Texas House of Representatives, and following three terms, |
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he was elected to the Texas Senate from District 13, which included |
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McLennan, Bell, Milam, Falls, and Limestone Counties; he became |
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Senate president pro tempore in the 61st Legislature, and over the |
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course of a decade in office, he served as chair of several |
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committees, including Environment, Insurance, Preschool Education |
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Standards, Legislative, Congressional, and Judicial Districts, and |
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State Departments and Institutions; among the many important pieces |
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of legislation that he carried, he took greatest pride in the bill |
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that enabled the establishment of Texas State Technical College; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Watson returned to practicing law in 1973, and |
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for 26 years, he was general counsel for the Texas State College |
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system; following his retirement, he remained a staunch supporter |
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of the institution, which named its student recreation center in |
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his honor; he was instrumental in the establishment of two |
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nonprofits that helped students secure loans, the Brazos Higher |
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Education Authority and Brazos Higher Education Service Authority, |
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and he was CEO of both; moreover, he was a trustee of the McLennan |
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Community College Foundation and a tremendous benefactor of his |
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alma mater; although he tried to keep his generosity quiet, in 2017, |
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he was named Baylor Lawyer of the Year; he was a member of the Baylor |
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Law Alumni Association, the Baylor Bear Foundation, and the Baylor |
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Founders Club; and |
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WHEREAS, Even while serving in the legislature, Mr. Watson |
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continued to help out at Watson Feed Store on Saturdays to stay in |
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touch with his fellow citizens; he also owned and ran the family |
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ranch and cattle operation; a valued member of the business |
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community, he was a Paul Harris Fellow in the Rotary Club of Waco, |
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and he was active in Masonry for more than six decades; he belonged |
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to Austin Avenue United Methodist Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Above all, Mr. Watson was devoted to his family; he |
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shared a rewarding marriage of nearly 59 years with his wife, Greta |
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Warren Watson, and he was the proud father of Marcus and Milicent |
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and grandfather of Annika and Niklas; and |
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WHEREAS, Murray Watson made a positive difference in the |
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lives of countless Texans through his passion for helping others |
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and his commitment to higher education, and he will be remembered |
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with deep admiration and affection by all who were fortunate enough |
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to know him; 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 the Honorable |
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Murray Watson Jr. and extend sincere sympathy to his loved ones; |
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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 Murray |
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Watson Jr. |
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Kacal |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 700 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on March 21, 2019. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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