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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A life made rich through meaningful service drew to |
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a close with the passing of Reginald Reagan Connor Jr. of Walnut |
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Grove on June 13, 2025, at the age of 90; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Reginald and Sararose Connor, "Reg" |
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Connor was born in Henderson on May 14, 1935, and he grew up in |
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Whitehouse and Tyler with two siblings, Charles and Linda; he |
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graduated from Tyler High School; and |
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WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty, Mr. Connor |
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subsequently joined the U.S. Navy; he served on active duty and then |
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with the Naval Reserve, and he attained the rating of chief |
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quartermaster; following the completion of his military tenure, he |
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attended Tyler Junior College and went on to earn a bachelor's |
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degree in electrical engineering from The University of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1962 to 1978, Mr. Connor served as an engineer |
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at E-Systems in Garland, first with the Army Security Agency and |
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then with the National Reconnaissance Office; next relocating to |
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Walnut Grove, he worked as a consulting engineer in private |
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practice for almost a decade; highly civically engaged, he was a |
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longtime board member for East Texas Lighthouse for the Blind, and |
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in 1987, he joined the nonprofit's staff as vice president; he |
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remained there until his retirement in 2009; additionally, he held |
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a seat for 30 years on the Tyler Civic Theatre Board of Directors; a |
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life member of the Texas Exes, he also belonged to the Sons of the |
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American Revolution and the Sons of the Republic of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Connor enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Sarah, with whom he shared a rewarding |
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marriage spanning nearly six decades; the couple raised two |
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children, Sean and Craig, and over the years, they welcomed four |
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grandchildren and three great-grandchildren into their family; |
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Mr. Connor treasured gatherings with his loved ones above all else; |
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in his leisure time, he pursued his passions for gardening, farm |
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projects, music, and genealogical research; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of honesty, intelligence, and principled |
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leadership, Reg Connor earned the lasting respect and admiration of |
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all who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature, 1st |
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Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory of Reginald Reagan |
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Connor Jr. and extend heartfelt condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his wife, Sarah Connor; to his sons, Sean Connor and |
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Craig Connor and his wife, Angie; to his grandchildren, Ali and |
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Riley Connor, Aaron Tolbert, and Brittany Gideon; to his |
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great-grandchildren, Tyler Tolbert and Brentley and Paislee |
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Gideon; to his niece and nephews, Christine and Harrison Connor and |
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Brian Knutzen; and to his other relatives and friends; 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 Reg Connor. |