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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life dedicated to serving his community and his |
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nation drew to a close with the death of Earl Leslie Russell III of |
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Gainesville on July 20, 2022, at the age of 78; and |
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WHEREAS, "Rusty" Russell was born at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, on |
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January 25, 1944, to Earl and Laura Russell and grew up with two |
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siblings, Robert and Jane; he was an Eagle Scout, and he served in |
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the ROTC program from middle school through college; after |
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graduating from Fort Hays State University, he was commissioned as |
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a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and he served two tours of |
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duty in Vietnam as an army pilot, flying reconnaissance and |
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artillery spotting missions; his commendations included the |
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Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, the Army |
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Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and two Cross of |
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Gallantry medals with silver star; he was honorably discharged in |
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1975 at the rank of major; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Russell met his wife, Jan, on a blind date, and |
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the couple were married in 1966 and were eventually blessed with a |
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son, Lee; they opened a real estate firm in Manhattan, Kansas, and |
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in 1982, they settled in Gainesville, where Mr. Russell worked for |
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a quarter century with the financial firm of Edward Jones; a leader |
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in his community, he sat on the boards of the Gainesville Municipal |
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Airport, the North Texas Medical Center, the First United Methodist |
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Church, the State Bar of Texas Professional Ethics Committee, and |
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the Boy Scouts of America Longhorn Council; he was a Past Master |
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with Gainesville Masonic Lodge No. 210 and a lifelong supporter of |
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the Boy Scouts, serving for many years as leader of Troop 668 in |
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Gainesville; and |
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WHEREAS, Rusty Russell lived a rich and purposeful life |
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devoted to his loved ones, his community, and his nation, and he |
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leaves behind a record of service that his loved ones can remember |
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with pride; now, therefore, be 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 Earl Leslie Russell III and |
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extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife |
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of 55 years, Janice Kay Russell; to his son, Earl Leslie Russell IV; |
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to his siblings, Robert Russell and his wife, Pam, and Jane McMurray |
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and her husband, Brad; to his brother-in-law, John Klusener, and |
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sister-in-law, Laura Klusener; and to his other relatives and many |
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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 Senate adjourns this |
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day, it do so in memory of Rusty Russell. |