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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Admired attorney Derek Alden Howard of Austin passed |
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away on August 1, 2020, at the age of 72, bringing a great loss to |
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all who shared in his love and friendship; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Ernest and Betty Howard, Derek Howard was |
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born in Austin on January 3, 1948, and grew up with three siblings, |
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Greg, Sherry, and Mark; he completed his bachelor's degree in |
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zoology at The University of Texas at Austin, and after selling |
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"Impeach Nixon" bumper stickers to buy his first hot air balloon, he |
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opened the Southwestern Balloon School and helped found the Texas |
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Hot Air Balloon Race; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to the well-being of others, Mr. Howard |
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was also involved in the founding of the Austin Rape Crisis Center |
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and volunteered on the overnight hotline, as well as for the Austin |
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Tenants Council; he marched in antiwar protests and took legal |
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action against the police brutality he experienced, which led him |
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to enroll at St. Mary's University School of Law; following |
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graduation, he became a partner in Kreisner & Howard and later |
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established his own firm, Howard & Kobelan; his practice focused on |
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workers' rights, including discrimination and retaliation claims, |
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and he was a fierce David when going up against a Goliath for his |
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clients; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Howard met his wife, future state |
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representative Donna Howard, while working on a political campaign |
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in 1976; they married four years later and became the parents of |
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three children, Blake, Logan, and Shane; eventually, he knew the |
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joy of becoming "Boppie" to his treasured grandchildren; active in |
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the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, he served on |
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boards and fostered the growth of the UBarU Camp & Retreat Center; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In leisure hours, Mr. Howard's way with words made |
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him a serial Scrabble champion and served him well during |
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passionate discussions with family and friends; disdaining |
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recipes, he enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen and was famous for |
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his chili; he loved being in the water, whether in the pool he |
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designed, a lake, or a creek, and he rescued a host of turtles, |
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salamanders, snakes, and other creatures; his beloved dog, Marquis |
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de Sade Fernando de la Cruz, was a constant companion; and |
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WHEREAS, Derek Howard made a positive difference in many |
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lives through his skilled advocacy, and although he is deeply |
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missed by those he left behind, they will forever cherish their |
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memories of his warmth, wit, and compassion; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Derek Alden Howard and |
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extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it |
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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 Derek |
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Howard. |