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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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passing of Curtis Williams Mewbourne of Tyler on June 23, 2022, at |
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the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Ruth and Curtis Mewbourne, Mr. Mewbourne |
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was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on November 14, 1935, and he grew |
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up with a brother, Tom; he enjoyed a wonderful childhood, working on |
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his parents' ranch, visiting his grandmother in New Orleans, and |
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working dogs and hunting quail; a gifted athlete, he helped win a |
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state title in track, and he played quarterback for the 1953 state |
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championship football team at Byrd High School; as a student there, |
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he met the love of his life, the former Joanne Zaenglein; the couple |
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married on March 7, 1959, and they shared a fulfilling union that |
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spanned more than six decades; he took great pride in their |
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daughters, Dorothy, Ruth, and Julie, and their grandchildren, |
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Cameron, Kirby, Morgan, Hale, Anna, Merritte, Williams, and |
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Griffin; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1957, Mr. Mewbourne earned a degree in petroleum |
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engineering at the University of Oklahoma, where he joined the Phi |
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Gamma Delta fraternity, and he went on to serve in the U.S. Army as a |
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second lieutenant with the Arlington National Cemetery honor guard; |
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he subsequently embarked on a successful career in the oil |
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industry, working with Arkansas Fuel Oil Company in Shreveport and |
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later with First National Bank in Dallas; in 1965, he established |
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Mewbourne Oil Company, and the business grew to become one of the |
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largest privately owned oil and gas companies in the nation, as well |
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as the top supporter of student scholarships and internships at OU |
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in the past 25 years; and |
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WHEREAS, In recognition of Mr. Mewbourne's accomplishments, |
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OU named the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy and the Mewbourne |
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School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering in his honor; his |
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other accolades include the Distinguished Service Award from the |
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Texas Oil and Gas Association, the Top Hand award from the Permian |
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Basin Petroleum Association, the Trailblazer award from OU, and an |
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honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from OU; moreover, he endowed |
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seven Mewbourne Chairs in Petroleum Engineering and the Mewbourne |
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Professorship in Petroleum Engineering at the university; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Mewbourne moved with his family to Tyler in |
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1971, and he gave of his time and resources to benefit All Saints |
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Episcopal School, St. John's School in Houston, the music |
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department at Tyler Junior College, Methodist Children's Home, the |
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Salvation Army, and PATH Junior Achievement, among other |
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organizations; he was also a longtime member of Marvin United |
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Methodist Church; above all else, he delighted in spending time |
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with his loved ones, and he especially liked hosting Thanksgiving |
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celebrations at his Lazy M ranch in Oklahoma; and |
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WHEREAS, Curtis Mewbourne lived a life that was rich in |
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personal and professional achievements, and he will forever be a |
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source of inspiration to those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of Curtis Williams Mewbourne and |
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extend sincere sympathy to all who mourn his passing; and, be it |
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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 Curtis Mewbourne. |