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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and |
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commemorates the remarkable life of Jerry Donald Cook, who died |
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on January 7, 2023, at the age of 83; and |
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WHEREAS, Don Cook was born in 1939 in Dallas, and from an |
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early age, he possessed a passion for serving others and a great |
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appreciation for nature and the outdoors; he achieved the |
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prestigious rank of Eagle Scout as a youth, and he graduated from |
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Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth in 1958 before earning a |
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degree in economics from Texas A&M University; he went on to |
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later earn master's degrees in public administration from |
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American University in Washington, D.C., and from Harvard |
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University's John F. Kennedy School of Government; and |
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WHEREAS, Inspired as a young man by President Kennedy's |
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famous call to service in the name of country, Don accepted a |
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position with the United States Employment Service office and |
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later worked for NASA and the Peace Corps before serving with the |
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Environmental Protection Agency; Don joined the District of |
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Columbia National Guard in 1963, and his calm disposition and |
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reflective nature were an asset to him during his training as a |
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fighter pilot; and |
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WHEREAS, Don was called to serve during the Pueblo crisis |
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in 1968 and spent a year serving as a fighter pilot in South |
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Korea, where he flew an F-100 jet; after returning from his |
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military service abroad, he continued serving in the D.C. |
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National Guard for nine years, and he later served for nearly a |
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decade in the Texas State Guard before retiring as a lieutenant |
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colonel; in the 1970s, Don continued to devote himself to public |
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service as an intern in the office of United States Democratic |
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Representative J. J. "Jake" Pickle; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1989, Don retired from the Environmental |
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Protection Agency and returned to Texas, where he worked for the |
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General Land Office in Austin and later served as a cancer |
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educator with The University of Texas MD Anderson Health Science |
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Center in Smithville; in addition to his professional endeavors, |
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Don was active in numerous charitable and community |
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organizations, including the Rotary Club of Austin and Capital |
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City Village, and he volunteered as a Boy Scout troop leader and |
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served on a number of environmental and educational committees; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Don was a devoted husband to Peggy Pickle, his |
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wife of 33 years, and he was a loving father to his daughters, |
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Kelly Cook Newman and Rebecca Cook Wallace, and to his |
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stepdaughter, Bergan Casey; he was blessed with five |
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grandchildren, who enriched his life immeasurably; and |
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WHEREAS, Don gave generously of his energy, time, and |
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talents to help others throughout his life, and he was firm in his |
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convictions and ideals as a lifelong Democrat and |
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environmentalist; above all, he cherished his family, and he was |
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a source of strength and inspiration in the lives of those who |
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knew him; he leaves a legacy of service and achievement that sets |
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a shining example for others to follow, and his memory will be |
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forever treasured by his loving family members and by all who |
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were privileged to share in his life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Jerry Donald Cook; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Don Cook. |