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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life has drawn to a close with |
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the death of veteran West Texas aviator Wilson Connell Edwards Sr. |
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on May 3, 2019, at the age of 85; and |
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WHEREAS, Connie Edwards was born in Big Spring on April 25, |
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1934; after completing his education, he earned a pilot's license |
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and joined the Army National Guard in 1951, serving throughout the |
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Caribbean, Central America, and the United States over the next |
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nine years; in 1954, he and his brother, W. P. "Budo" Edwards, |
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established the Edwards Petroleum Company, and in 1959, the |
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brothers took over their family's ranching and petroleum operations |
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in Howard and Glasscock Counties; and |
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WHEREAS, In the late 1960s, Mr. Edwards was chief stunt pilot |
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for the movie Battle of Britain, flying a variety of World War II |
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military aircraft; during filming, he belly-landed a burning |
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Spitfire fighter plane with no injuries to himself or others, |
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earning a commendation from the Royal Air Force; he owned several |
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vintage aircraft, including a TBM Avenger torpedo bomber that |
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appeared in the films Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Bermuda |
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Triangle; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Edwards was a member of the Aircraft Owners and |
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Pilots Association and president of the Big Spring chapter of the |
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Air Force Association; he also served as accident prevention |
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counselor for the Lubbock district of the Federal Aviation |
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Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation; in |
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addition, he was a director of State National Bank, and he cofounded |
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TexaStone Quarries; and |
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WHEREAS, This distinguished pilot earned many awards over the |
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years, including the Meritorious Service Award from the U.S. Navy, |
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the FAA Special Recognition Award, the President's Pilot Award, the |
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John Henry Towers Award from the Naval Aviation Commandery, the |
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Seaplane Pilot of the Year Award from the Seaplane Pilots |
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Association, and honorary wings from the U.S. Coast Guard and the |
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air forces of Britain, Spain, Canada, and Portugal; in 2016, he was |
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inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Edwards enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Brenda, and he was the proud father of |
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three children, Patricia, Nicholas, and the late Wilson C. "Tex" |
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Edwards; he was also devoted to his two stepdaughters, Stefanie and |
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Tonya, and his eight grandchildren, Andrew, Blake, Haylee, Daniel, |
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Emilee, Seth, Wilson, and Aislin; and |
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WHEREAS, Connie Edwards brought joy to innumerable people |
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through his warmth, wonderful sense of humor, and trove of amazing |
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stories, and his spirit of adventure will remain a source of |
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inspiration to all who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, |
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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 Wilson Connell |
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Edwards Sr. and extend heartfelt sympathy to his family 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 Connie |
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Edwards. |