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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of Dr. James Edward Swink of Rusk on |
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December 3, 2014, at the age of 78, has brought a great loss to his |
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family, his friends, and the community that he so proudly called |
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home; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Sacul on March 14, 1936, to Curtis and Allie |
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Mae Swink, Jim Swink was a standout performer on the Rusk High |
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School football and basketball teams; he gained All-District and |
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All-State recognition for his athletic talents, and after |
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graduating from Rusk High in 1953, he enrolled at Texas Christian |
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University on a football scholarship; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan continued his fine play at the |
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collegiate level, earning the moniker "the Rusk Rambler" as he led |
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TCU to consecutive conference championships and Cotton Bowl |
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appearances; he was an Academic All-American and All-Southwest |
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Conference player for the Horned Frogs, and he finished as the |
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runner-up for the prestigious Heisman Trophy after an impressive |
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1955 season in which he led the nation in scoring and was second in |
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rushing; though he was drafted by the Chicago Bears after |
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graduating from TCU, he chose to forgo professional football to |
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pursue a medical career, but he later returned to the field briefly |
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as a member of the Dallas Texans of the American Football League; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Following his graduation from The University of |
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Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dr. Swink practiced medicine in |
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Tyler for three years and then answered his nation's call to duty as |
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a member of the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War; he served as a |
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medic and rose to the rank of captain, and he was honored for his |
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dedicated service with both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star |
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Medal; after leaving the military and completing his residency, he |
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moved to the Fort Worth area and enjoyed a successful 35-year tenure |
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as an orthopedic surgeon; he retired from that practice in 2006 and |
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returned home to Rusk, but he later put his medical expertise to |
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work by serving as a member of the staff at the Rusk State Hospital |
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medical clinic from 2009 to 2014; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely admired for his achievements, Dr. Swink was |
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the recipient of a multitude of accolades, including the Doak |
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Walker Legends Award and induction into the College Football Hall |
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of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference |
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Hall of Fame, and the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame; he was designated an |
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Outstanding Texan by the Rusk Industrial Foundation for his many |
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contributions to the local community, and one of his proudest |
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moments came in October 2014, when the Rusk High School football |
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field was renamed in his honor; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Dr. Swink enjoyed the love and |
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support of his wife, Jeanie, and he took great pride in his |
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children, Jed, Dan, and Charlie, as well as his two grandchildren |
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and two great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, An accomplished athlete, a respected medical |
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professional, and a caring husband and father, Jim Swink excelled |
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in all of those roles, and he will always be remembered with great |
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admiration and affection by all those who were privileged to know |
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him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. James Edward |
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Swink and extend deepest condolences to the members of his family: |
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to his wife, Jeanie Swink; to his sons, Jed, Dan, and Charlie Swink; |
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to his grandchildren, Sam Swink and Heather Eiland and her husband, |
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Clay; to his great-grandchildren, Sophia and Theodore Eiland; to |
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his sisters, Mary Crump, Wilene Shuptrine, Vera English, and Ann |
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Phillips and her husband, George; to his brother, Joe Swink; and to |
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his other relatives and many 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 Dr. James |
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Edward Swink. |
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Clardy |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 130 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on February 19, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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