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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 95th birthday of an esteemed member of the |
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Greatest Generation is indeed cause for celebration, and Donald |
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Gene Davidson of Brenham is marking this milestone in his life on |
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December 7, 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Mary Pauline and William Davidson, Don |
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Davidson was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1928; he served as |
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a paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division at the end |
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of World War II, taking part in the occupation of Japan; after |
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receiving his honorable discharge, he earned his bachelor's degree |
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in industrial management at Oklahoma State University; he wed the |
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former Patricia "Patsy" Sue Paschall on June 1, 1950, and they |
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became the proud parents of a son, Greg; through the years, their |
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treasured family grew to include a daughter-in-law, Donna Garcia |
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Davidson, and a granddaughter, Mary Grace Davidson; Mr. and |
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Mrs. Davidson shared a fulfilling 64-year relationship until her |
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passing in 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Davidson began his career with Standard Oil of |
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Indiana, and in the late 1950s, he was involved in opening up new |
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oil fields in the U.S. and the Persian Gulf; switching to the |
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aerospace industry in the 1960s, he worked on the Polaris, Ranger, |
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and Minuteman programs for Hercules Powder Company in Salt Lake |
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City and on the design and testing phase of Apollo Lunar Excursion |
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Module components for Brown Engineering Company; later, he returned |
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to the energy sector and helped to establish a communication |
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platform along the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline; he retired from Atlantic |
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Richfield Company in 1986 to focus on raising Longhorn cattle at |
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Grand Ranch; in addition, he had two other family businesses, Mail |
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Courier Express and Pee Dee Patterns, where he was both owner and |
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artist; he also starred in Walking Away, an award-winning |
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independent movie; and |
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WHEREAS, A prolific author, Mr. Davidson wrote a novel about |
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the Greatest Generation, as well as a 670-page history of the |
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Davidson family, tracing it from 14th Century Scotland to modern |
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America; he has been an active blogger for 15 years, recording his |
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insights in "The View from Grand Ranch: The Ramblings and |
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Ruminations of an Octogenarian"; very active in the Republican |
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Party, he has served as an election judge and precinct worker; he |
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maintained his vigorous fitness regimen well into his 90s; and |
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WHEREAS, Respected and admired by all who are privileged to |
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know him, Don Davidson may reflect with great satisfaction on a |
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lifetime of achievement, and it is a pleasure to join his friends |
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and loved ones in honoring him on this memorable occasion; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature, 3rd |
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Called Session, hereby congratulate Donald Gene Davidson on his |
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95th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued |
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happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Davidson as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas Senate. |