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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 100th birthday of an esteemed Texan is truly |
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cause for celebration, and Wallace Thomas Shook Jr. of Conroe is |
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marking this milestone in his life on September 23, 2025; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Beaumont in 1925, Wallace Shook is the son of |
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Wallace T. Shook Sr. and Gonda Shook; after graduating from Lamar |
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Junior College at the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air |
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Corps Air Crew Training Program; he was honorably discharged in |
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1945 and resumed his education, earning a bachelor's degree in |
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business administration from Sam Houston State Teachers College and |
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a master's degree from the Southern Methodist University Perkins |
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School of Theology; he later received an honorary doctor of |
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divinity degree from Wiley College; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Shook began his ministry in the Texas Annual |
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Conference of the United Methodist Church on the Laneville Circuit |
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in Rusk County in 1948; he organized the Wesley Foundation, a campus |
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student ministry at Tyler Junior College, and became founding |
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pastor of Pollard United Methodist Church in Tyler; subsequently, |
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his pastorates included Williams Memorial UMC in Texarkana, |
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Southwest UMC in Houston, and the First United Methodist Church in |
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Beaumont; he served the Texas Annual Conference in numerous |
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leadership roles, among them treasurer, superintendent of the |
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Southwest District, and president of the Council on Finance and |
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Administration; in addition, he was elected to the General Board of |
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Discipleship and the General Conference of the United Methodist |
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Church; he retired to Conroe following 46 years in the ministry; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1947, Dr. Shook married his college sweetheart, |
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the former Jane Esther Lawrence, and today, he enjoys the love and |
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support of four daughters, Debra, Martha, Rachel, and Lydia, |
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12 grandchildren, and a host of bonus grandchildren and |
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great-grandchildren; as a descendant of Lieutenant Colonel Daniel |
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Boone, Dr. Shook was inducted into the Freedom Chapter of the Sons |
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of the American Revolution in 2022; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a century, Wallace Shook has been |
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a source of wisdom and inspiration to innumerable people, and he |
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continues to enrich the lives of all who are fortunate enough to |
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know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Wallace Thomas Shook Jr. on the |
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joyous occasion of his 100th birthday and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Shook as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |