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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The tragic loss of John Louis Burgess IV, Julia |
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Walsh Anderson Burgess, John Louis Burgess V, and James Littleton |
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Burgess on July 4, 2025, during the Hill Country floods has |
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profoundly saddened their family and their many friends and |
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neighbors in the Liberty community; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Waco on February 26, 1986, John Burgess was |
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the son of Patricia Morris and John Louis Burgess; after graduating |
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from China Spring High School in 2004, he attended Le Cordon Bleu |
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Culinary School and later worked as a chef at Yellowstone National |
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Park Lodges and at a Michelin two-star restaurant in southern |
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Italy; and |
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WHEREAS, On March 5, 2011, Mr. Burgess exchanged wedding vows |
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with the former Julia Anderson, and he went on to transition to a |
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career in her family's business, becoming a licensed funeral |
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director; he was subsequently employed as a financial advisor and |
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an accredited asset management specialist, and in the fall of 2023, |
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he opened a branch office of Edward Jones in Porter; over the years, |
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he was recognized with numerous awards for his achievements as a |
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funeral director and financial advisor, and he volunteered his time |
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as president-elect for the Rotary Club of East Montgomery County; |
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guided by their deep faith, he and Mrs. Burgess were active members |
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of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, and he further served on the |
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board of directors for Camp Allen of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Julia Burgess was born in Roswell, New Mexico, on |
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October 3, 1985, to Donna Soper and William Covert Anderson; she |
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graduated from Lamar Consolidated High School in 2003 before |
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earning her bachelor's degree from Texas Christian University and |
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her master of education degree from Angelo State University; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Burgess devoted herself passionately to her |
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career as an educator for more than 15 years, and she touched the |
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lives of countless students through her efforts as a teacher, a |
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volleyball coach, and a coach for the Liberty High School Prancers |
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dance team; she also held membership in TCU's Zeta Tau Alpha |
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Sorority, as well as in the Kerrville Junior Service Guild, the |
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Junior League of Bell County, and the Trivium Club of Liberty; and |
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WHEREAS, John and Julia Burgess lovingly raised three |
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children; John "Jack" Burgess was born on August 19, 2019, and |
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resided for the entirety of his life in Liberty, where he |
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distinguished himself as a gifted student and enjoyed playing |
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baseball and soccer and spending time in the outdoors; the family's |
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youngest child, James Burgess, was born on October 10, 2023, and he |
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brightened the lives of his loved ones with his easygoing nature and |
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his ever-present smile; Mr. and Mrs. Burgess are survived by their |
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daughter, eight-year-old Jenna Burgess, their dog, Daisy, and |
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numerous other relatives, who have been joined by well-wishers from |
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across Texas in offering their heartfelt condolences; and |
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WHEREAS, Although their time here was far too brief, these |
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four cherished individuals were a blessing in the lives of everyone |
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around them, and the love they shared will never be forgotten; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
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of John Louis Burgess IV, Julia Walsh Anderson Burgess, John Louis |
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Burgess V, and James Littleton Burgess and extend deepest sympathy |
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to the members of their family: to Mr. and Mrs. Burgess's daughter, |
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Jenna Lacy Burgess; to their parents, Donna Soper Anderson and |
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Patricia Morris Burgess and John Louis Burgess III; to |
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Mrs. Burgess's grandmother, Mary-Lou Soper; to Mrs. Burgess's |
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siblings, John Anderson and his wife, Jennifer, and Joseph Anderson |
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and his wife, Megan; to Mr. Burgess's siblings, Kathy Esserman and |
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her husband, Charles, Paige Cashion and her partner, Gary Porter, |
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Ashley Weist and her husband, Tim, Leslie Jandrain and her husband, |
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Jay, David Green, Laura Rhinehardt and her husband, Bo, and Patrick |
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Green and his wife, Kori; and to their many other relatives and |
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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 their family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of John, |
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Julia, Jack, and James Burgess. |