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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The family and friends of William Cunningham of San |
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Marcos suffered an immeasurable loss with his death on April 19, |
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2018, at the age of 69; and |
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WHEREAS, Bill Cunningham was born in Cuero on March 19, 1949, |
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to Ellen and Bill Cunningham Sr., and he grew up with a sister, |
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Kaye; raised in San Antonio, he graduated from Thomas Jefferson |
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High School in 1967 and studied journalism at Southwest Texas State |
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University, where he was managing editor of the student paper until |
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he was fired for his outspoken articles against the Vietnam War; in |
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1972, while still in college, he became the first student and the |
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youngest person ever elected to the San Marcos City Council; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his life as a writer and activist, |
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Mr. Cunningham worked in the press department for Jimmy Carter's |
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1976 presidential campaign and as a legislative aide to |
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U.S. Representative J. J. Pickle, and he was appointed by Governor |
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Ann Richards to the Texas State University System Board of Regents, |
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which he served as chair; he also operated a successful public |
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relations business and helped to found the Lyndon Baines Johnson |
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Museum of San Marcos, where he was a board member and director; |
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until the end of his life, he remained active in public affairs in |
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San Marcos, serving on the city's Main Street and Library Boards; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Cunningham was an avid reader and book |
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collector, and he edited a Texas crime fiction anthology, Lone Star |
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Sleuths, for the Southwestern Writers Collection Book Series; known |
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as "Billy" or "Wild Bill" to his friends, he was a colorful figure |
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around town, frequenting coffee shops in his trademark fedora and |
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sunglasses and delighting his many admirers with his sharp |
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intellect and his keen satirical wit; he was a devoted husband to |
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his wife, Nevin, with whom he shared 33 rewarding years of marriage, |
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and a loving father to their son, Andrew; and |
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WHEREAS, An engaged citizen and an "icon of cool" in his |
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beloved San Marcos, Bill Cunningham lived a life that was rich in |
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personal and professional achievements, and memories of time spent |
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in his company remain to comfort those he leaves behind; 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 William Cunningham |
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and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many 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 William |
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Cunningham. |