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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 life of Samuel Ray Sparrow, who died on December |
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14, 2023, at the age of 32; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on August 21, 1991, in Nederland to Lizneth |
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Sparrow and James Ray Sparrow Jr., Sammy grew up in Groves |
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alongside his siblings Lourdes and Daniel, in whom he could |
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always find a ready playmate or companion; Sammy's passion for |
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baseball was a defining influence in his childhood, and he played |
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for Groves National Little League and made the all-star team each |
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year he was eligible; as a teenager, he had the pleasure of |
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visiting many different parts of the country attending |
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collegiate baseball camps and playing baseball with his select |
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travel team; and |
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WHEREAS, Sammy attended Port Neches-Groves High School, |
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where he played on the varsity baseball team and graduated in |
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2009; he furthered his education at Texas A&M |
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University--Kingsville, and after college, Sammy worked in the |
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insurance industry and was committed to helping his clients |
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however he could; his kindness and generous spirit were evident |
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in all of his endeavors, and his sincere desire to help anyone in |
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need was apparent to all who knew him; and |
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WHEREAS, Growing up in a house divided by conflicting |
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loyalties to various sports teams meant a steady source of banter |
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and good-natured rivalry, and despite being proud native Texans, |
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Sammy and his sister Lourdes cheered for the Boston Red Sox to the |
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amused dismay of the Yankees and Astros fans in the family; Sammy |
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was an enthusiastic fan of the Louisiana State University Tigers |
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and also supported the Dallas Cowboys along with his younger |
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brother, Daniel; together they celebrated their victories, |
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commiserated over their losses, and enjoyed taking road trips to |
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watch the Cowboys play; and |
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WHEREAS, Sammy's love of sports led him to make many |
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special memories, including traveling to Fenway Park to watch the |
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Boston Red Sox play, which he considered a true highlight of his |
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life; he also treasured such favorite memories as visiting New |
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York with his mother and seeing the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, |
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and the trip he took with Daniel and Lourdes as adults to visit |
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Universal Studios was one of the many precious memories they |
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shared; and |
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WHEREAS, Music was always important to Sammy, and he |
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taught himself to play the piano and guitar and was an avid reader |
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and writer with a brilliant memory; he had a remarkable talent |
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for deciphering games and puzzles, as illustrated by his |
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extraordinary ability to rapidly solve a Rubik's Cube puzzle, a |
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skill he mastered at an early age; he especially enjoyed playing |
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games and spending time with his nephew, Xander, who will always |
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hold dear the memories he made with his Uncle Sam; and |
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WHEREAS, Sammy found a sense of solace in his spiritual |
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faith and always looked for the love and goodness in other |
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people; he adored animals, and throughout his life, he was a |
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devoted friend and caretaker of dogs, cats, birds, fish, turtles, |
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rabbits, a potbellied pig, and at one point, injured squirrels he |
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cared for and rehabilitated; his most beloved pet and companion |
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was undoubtedly his dog, Hook, and the close bond they shared was |
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clear to all who witnessed it; and |
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WHEREAS, Left to cherish Sammy's memory are his mother, |
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Lizneth Sparrow, his sister Lourdes Litchfield and her husband, |
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Michael; his brother Daniel Sparrow and his fiancée, Isabella; |
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his nephew, Alexander "Xander" Litchfield; his loving abuelo and |
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abuelita; and his father, James Ray Sparrow Jr.; his sister |
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Jennifer Womack; his brother James Ray Sparrow III; and the many |
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others who were blessed to share in his life; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th |
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Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved |
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family of Samuel Ray Sparrow; 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 Sammy Sparrow. |