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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Pearland lost a greatly admired civic |
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leader with the passing of Mayor Emeritus Tom Reid on June 24, 2023, |
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at the age of 97; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Houston in 1925, Tom Reid was the son of |
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Thomas Joel and Hazel Nichols Reid; after proudly serving his |
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country as a member of the United States Navy during World War II, |
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he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from The |
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University of Texas in 1951, and as a student there, he held |
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membership in the Texas Cowboys and Chi Phi Fraternity; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1965, Mr. Reid moved to Pearland, where he |
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enjoyed a 32-year career as a contractor for NASA's Johnson Space |
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Center; over the course of his tenure with NASA, he was responsible |
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for overseeing and managing the budgets for the Gemini, Apollo, |
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Apollo-Soyuz, Skylab, and Space Shuttle programs; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Reid served Pearland as mayor from 1978 to 1990 |
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and again from 1993 to 2020, and his long tenure coincided with a |
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number of major developments, including the expansion of the city's |
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western border and improvements to its public safety services and |
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parks and trails systems; during that time, Pearland also |
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experienced a significant increase in new businesses and large |
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residential properties that contributed to its economic growth; and |
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WHEREAS, Mayor Reid's active involvement in the community |
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further included service as a city planning commissioner and as |
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chair of the Pearland Library board and Brazoria Drainage District |
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No. 4; an Eagle Scout, he also contributed to the Boy Scouts |
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organization as a scoutmaster and Scout Troop Committee chair, and |
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he volunteered his time in behalf of Pearland ISD, the Pearland |
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Historical Society, the Pearland Arts League, the C. F. Spencer |
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Masonic Lodge No. 1384, and other organizations; he was the first |
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citizen to be awarded the title of mayor emeritus, and his |
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outstanding record of service was further recognized with the |
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naming of a U.S. Post Office in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Reid enjoyed the love and |
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support of a fine family that included his two children, Trisha and |
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Carl, and his granddaughter, Nikki; and |
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WHEREAS, The life of Tom Reid stands as an inspiring example |
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of the good that one person can accomplish, and he leaves behind a |
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legacy that will resonate in the Pearland community for many years |
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to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature, 2nd |
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Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Mayor Emeritus |
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Tom Reid and extend sincere sympathy to all those who mourn his |
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passing; 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 this |
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day, it do so in memory of Tom Reid. |