|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Wendell Herman Nedderman, former president of The |
|
University of Texas at Arlington, passed away on May 8, 2019, at the |
|
age of 97; and |
|
WHEREAS, Wendell Nedderman was born on October 31, 1921, in |
|
Lovilia, Iowa, to Walter Herman and Fern Gray Nedderman; he |
|
graduated as valedictorian of Lovilia High School in 1939 and went |
|
on to earn a civil engineering degree with honors from Iowa State |
|
University in 1943; answering his nation's call to duty during |
|
World War II, he enlisted in the United States Navy and was |
|
commissioned an ensign and assigned to the USS Patterson; he |
|
participated in a number of campaigns in the Pacific theater and |
|
received eight battle stars for valor; and |
|
WHEREAS, After returning home, Mr. Nedderman joined the |
|
civil engineering faculty at Texas A&M University in 1947 and |
|
eventually rose to full professor; during that time, he obtained |
|
his master's degree from Texas A&M and his Ph.D. from Iowa State |
|
University; in 1959, he moved with his family to Arlington, where he |
|
became the founding dean of the College of Engineering at Arlington |
|
State College, a position he held for a decade; he then served for |
|
four years as vice president of academic affairs, before being |
|
appointed president of UT Arlington in 1972; over the course of his |
|
20-year tenure, the university experienced much growth and progress |
|
and distinguished itself as a leader in teaching, research, and |
|
outreach; Mr. Nedderman retired in 1992 but continued to teach |
|
part-time in the College of Engineering for more than a decade, and |
|
an endowed professorship in the school bears his name; and |
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Nedderman shared 67 rewarding years of marriage |
|
with his wife, Betty Ann Nedderman, until her passing in 2015; he |
|
was the proud father of four sons, Howard, John, Jeff, and Eric, and |
|
he took joy in welcoming numerous grandchildren and |
|
great-grandchildren into his family; active in many professional |
|
and community organizations, he held nearly every layman position |
|
during his 40-year-long affiliation with the First Christian Church |
|
of Arlington; and |
|
WHEREAS, Wendell Nedderman's myriad contributions had a |
|
transformative impact on UT Arlington, and he has left behind a |
|
legacy of visionary leadership that will continue to resonate for |
|
years to come; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Wendell Herman |
|
Nedderman and extend heartfelt sympathy to his loved ones and |
|
friends; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Wendell |
|
Nedderman. |