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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of an esteemed agriculture journalist and |
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cattleman drew to a close with the passing of Horace Franklin |
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McQueen of Houston County on March 19, 2025, at the age of 86; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Tommy and Fairy Lee McQueen, Horace |
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McQueen was born near Latexo on July 3, 1938; he later moved with |
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his family to La Porte, where he grew up working for local farmers |
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and ranchers; he accepted a scholarship from Texas A&M University |
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and joined the Corps of Cadets, and during his junior year, he wed |
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the former Carole Myers; the couple shared a fulfilling marriage of |
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more than 66 years, raising their sons, Dale and Dennis, and their |
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twin daughters, Deidre and Debra, and they eventually welcomed two |
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grandchildren into their family; and |
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WHEREAS, Following graduation, Mr. McQueen and his family |
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moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and he embarked on his career there |
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as an associate editor for the National Future Farmer magazine and |
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then as an editor with other publications; he shifted to television |
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broadcasting in 1964 in Lubbock as the owner and producer of the |
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regional show Farm and Ranch News; through this work, he developed |
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an interest in the Australian Murray Grey cattle breed, and in 1969, |
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he and his wife established Murray Grey USA; becoming a full-time |
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cattleman, he imported the first Murray Grey cattle into the |
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country, and he was a founding member of the American Murray Grey |
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Association; in 1973, he and his family moved to an East Texas ranch |
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near Troup; he subsequently resumed production for Farm and Ranch |
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News on Tyler and Lufkin television stations, distinguishing |
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himself as the owner, producer, and host of the popular morning show |
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for 27 additional years before his retirement in 2000; known as the |
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voice of agriculture in Texas, he interviewed such high-profile |
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figures as U.S. presidents and congressional leaders, and he was |
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honored as the national Farm Broadcaster of the Year in 1980, the |
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Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture in 1986, and the Ralph W. Steen |
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East Texan of the Year in 2023; in addition, he and his wife funded |
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several scholarship programs for Texas A&M agriculture journalism |
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students, and he lent his expertise to many professional and civic |
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organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, While the death of Horace McQueen brings great |
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sadness to his loved ones, he leaves behind a legacy that will long |
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be treasured by all who held him dear; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Horace Franklin |
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McQueen and extend heartfelt sympathy to the members of his family: |
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to his wife, Carole McQueen; to his children, Dale McQueen and his |
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wife, Patti, Dennis McQueen and his wife, Ashley, Deidre Haines and |
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her husband, Gordon, and Debra Green and her husband, Phillip; to |
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his grandchildren, Faithe and Mason Green; and to his other |
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relatives and 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 House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Horace |
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McQueen. |