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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The community of The Woodlands lost an inspiring |
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spiritual leader with the death of the Reverend Donald R. Gebert on |
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March 15, 2021, at the age of 91; and |
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WHEREAS, Don Gebert was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, |
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on June 11, 1929; after graduating from the Wharton School of |
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Business at the University of Pennsylvania, he was called to the |
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ministry and entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary in |
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Philadelphia; he married the former Barbara Hermanns in 1951, and |
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the couple shared a loving union that spanned nearly 70 years; he |
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was the proud father of five children, Sue, Judy, Rick, Bob, and |
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Kathy, and later in life he was blessed with eight grandchildren and |
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five great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1957, Reverend Gebert moved with his family to |
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the South American nation of Guyana, where he worked as a Lutheran |
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missionary until 1963; returning to Pennsylvania, he became senior |
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pastor at St. Matthews Lutheran Church; he was in the audience in |
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Washington, D.C., during Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" |
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speech, and he became active in the civil rights movement; with a |
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group of Black pastors, he helped found King's Way Community Church |
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in one of the poorest communities of Philadelphia, and he also |
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helped establish several charities and churches in eastern |
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Pennsylvania; and |
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WHEREAS, Reverend Gebert and his family moved to The |
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Woodlands in 1975, and he became the founder and executive director |
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of Interfaith of The Woodlands, playing a vital role in the growth |
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of the community during its early years; he also contributed to the |
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creation of The Woodlands Resident Directory, The Woodlands Child |
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Development Center, The Woodlands Villager, Montgomery County |
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Youth Services, and The Woodlands Hospital; and |
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WHEREAS, After retiring from Interfaith, Reverend Gebert |
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served as assistant to the Bishop of the ULCA Texas Lutheran Synod; |
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he came back to The Woodlands as associate pastor of Lord of Life |
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Lutheran Church, where he became pastor emeritus; he worked until |
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he was 90, serving as the chaplain at The Village in The Woodlands; |
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in 2018, The Woodlands Hometown Heroes honored him for his |
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contributions to the community with the prestigious Mitchell Award; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Don Gebert lived a rich and purposeful life |
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dedicated to the service of others, and he leaves behind a legacy |
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that will continue to inspire all those who knew and loved him; now, |
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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 memory of the Reverend Donald |
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R. Gebert and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and |
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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 Donald R. |
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Gebert. |