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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 174
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In Memory |
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of |
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John Gooch |
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WHEREAS, John Addison Gooch of Marshall passed away on |
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February 3, 2021, at the age of 101, drawing to a close a long |
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life enriched by family, friends, and meaningful service to his |
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country; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Marshall on November 4, 1919, to Eli and |
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Lillian Fair Epps Gooch, John Gooch grew up with the |
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companionship of four sisters, Essie Mae, Ruby, Bessie, and |
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Earlene; he was only seven years old when his father passed away, |
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and in order to help support the family, he left school after the |
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sixth grade to work his family's land; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Gooch was drafted into the United States Army |
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on September 5, 1942; assigned to the 811th Engineer Battalion, |
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an all-Black engineering unit, he was deployed to U.S.-occupied |
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islands in the Pacific, where he was tasked with transporting |
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base construction materials; while in the military, he was |
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awarded an Atlantic Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze star |
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and a Good Conduct Medal, along with a Victory Ribbon, one |
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Service Stripe, and four Overseas Service Bars; he was honorably |
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discharged on November 22, 1945, at the rank of private first |
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class; and |
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WHEREAS, After returning stateside, Mr. Gooch worked at |
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the Marshall Brickyard until his retirement; he was beloved by |
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his fellow congregants at Greater Macedonia Baptist Church and by |
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his brothers at St. James Masonic Lodge No. 0112, where he had |
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been a member for over 70 years, and he was celebrated by his |
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community as a Hometown Hero on Veterans Day 2019; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Gooch married his true love, the former |
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Mollie Mae Beal, on August 20, 1946; the couple raised three |
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children, Bernard, Judy, and Aretta, of whom he was deeply proud, |
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and he later welcomed into his family four grandchildren, Rodney, |
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Charita, Bernard, and the late Deon Jon Adams, as well as three |
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great-grandchildren, Vaneisha, Bernard, and Niya; a kind and |
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loving father and grandfather, he was also cherished by his |
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nieces and nephews, and he enjoyed sharing stories of his earlier |
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days and his time in the army with the younger generations; and |
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WHEREAS, John Gooch was a source of great inspiration to |
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all who were fortunate enough to know him, and he will forever be |
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remembered with deep affection and admiration; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
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Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of John Addison Gooch |
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and extend heartfelt sympathy to all those who mourn his passing; |
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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 Senate adjourns |
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this day, it do so in memory of John Addison Gooch. |
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Hughes |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 22, 2021, by a |
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rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |