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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A 100th birthday is truly cause for celebration, and |
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Joseph Frazier Radcliffe of Waco is reaching that impressive |
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milestone on April 9, 2021; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in 1921 in Petersburg, Virginia, Joseph |
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Radcliffe attended school through the fifth grade and went to work |
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at the age of 14, making 63 cents a week at the Atkinson and Long |
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lock factory; answering his nation's call to duty, he joined the |
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Virginia National Guard in 1939, serving as a company aid man in |
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Company G, 29th Division, 144th Medical Corps; he was mobilized |
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during World War II and served with the U.S. Army in Virginia, |
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Washington, D.C., Texas, and New York; and |
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WHEREAS, Following the war, Mr. Radcliffe was employed with |
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the Veterans Administration in Oklahoma City, McKinney, Texas, and |
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Marlin, Texas, where he became head of maintenance and the supply |
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warehouse, and he rose through the ranks to become chief of supply, |
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purchasing, and contracts; he also acted as the Marlin VA's chief |
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union representative; in addition, he served a total of 18 years in |
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the Virginia and Texas national guards, retiring as a master |
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sergeant; and |
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WHEREAS, After concluding his service with the Veterans |
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Administration in 1987, Mr. Radcliffe worked for Drews Lumber |
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Company in Marlin, repairing and remodeling homes, and he also |
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started his own termite control business; married twice, he raised |
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three boys and two girls, and he was active with First Baptist |
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Church as deacon, head of maintenance, scoutmaster, and Sunday |
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school teacher; he moved to Lott at the age of 78 and retired to |
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country life 10 years later, and since 2015, he has lived in Waco; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A proud resident of Texas for 77 years, Joseph |
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Radcliffe has witnessed a panorama of change over the course of a |
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century, and he has met life's challenges with dignity and grace, |
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earning the deep admiration of all who are privileged to know him; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Joseph Frazier Radcliffe on his |
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100th birthday and recognize him as an honorary Texan, with all the |
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rights and privileges accorded those individuals native to the Lone |
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Star State; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Radcliffe as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |