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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Memories of a life well lived remain to comfort the |
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family and friends of Dr. Thomas Lee Charlton of Fort Worth, who |
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passed away on January 25, 2019, at the age of 82; and |
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WHEREAS, Tom Charlton was born in Helena, Arkansas, on |
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December 18, 1936, to Marie Zola Broussard and Thomas Ogden |
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Charlton; he moved with his family to Beaumont, Texas, at an early |
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age and graduated from Beaumont High School in 1955; although he |
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initially planned to become a physician, he was inspired to change |
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majors by his history professors at Baylor University, whom he |
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admired deeply, and he earned his degree in history and sociology in |
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1959; he went on to complete his master's degree and Ph.D. at The |
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University of Texas at Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, After teaching for eight years at San Antonio |
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College, Dr. Charlton joined the faculty at Baylor in 1970 as a |
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member of the history department; he also served the university as |
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director of The Texas Collection library and became founding |
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director of the Institute for Oral History; in 1993, he |
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transitioned into academic administration, spending a decade in the |
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Office of the Provost before returning to lead The Texas Collection |
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from 2003 until his retirement in 2010; over the years, he conducted |
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hundreds of interviews in his efforts to document oral history, and |
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he passed the tradition on to thousands of Baylor students and |
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community historians; he served as president of the Oral History |
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Association and as founding president of the Texas Oral History |
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Association, which named its Lifetime Achievement Award in his |
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honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Charlton shared a rewarding marriage of more |
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than 30 years with Rebecca Sharpless, whom he wed in 1988; he was |
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the proud father of two sons, John and Richard, and with the passing |
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years, he experienced the joy of welcoming into his family five |
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granddaughters, Nicole, Elizabeth, Brooke, Sarah, and Hannah; he |
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was an active member of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio and |
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Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, which he served in many |
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capacities; in his leisure time, he enjoyed traveling, photography, |
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and playing tennis, and he enthusiastically supported Baylor Bears |
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athletics; and |
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WHEREAS, An esteemed member of his profession and a man of |
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great warmth, kindness, and generosity, Dr. Tom Charlton will be |
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profoundly missed by all who were privileged to know him, and they |
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will forever carry his memory close in their hearts; now, |
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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 life of Dr. Thomas Lee |
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Charlton and extend sincere sympathy to those who mourn his |
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passing; 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 Dr. Thomas |
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Lee Charlton. |