Bill Text: TX HR142 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Dr. Billy Jim Blankenship of Corpus Christi.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-02-25 - Reported enrolled [HR142 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR142-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 142 |
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life came to an end with the | ||
passing of Dr. Billy Jim "Doc" Blankenship of Corpus Christi, who | ||
died on October 22, 2010, at the age of 82; and | ||
WHEREAS, A fifth-generation Texan, Billy J. Blankenship was | ||
born in Longview on February 13, 1928, to John Oscar and Jimmie | ||
Sunshine Blankenship; he grew up in Mineola, where he was a member | ||
of the Boy Scouts and lettered in track and football; he | ||
demonstrated his extraordinary spirit at an early age, as he | ||
rescued an elderly woman from her burning house and was recommended | ||
for a Carnegie Medal for Heroism; and | ||
WHEREAS, After graduating from Polytechnic High School in | ||
Fort Worth at the age of 16, Mr. Blankenship entered North Texas | ||
Agricultural College and joined the Reserve Officers' Training | ||
Corps; he enlisted in the U.S. Merchant Marine at 17, and a year | ||
later transferred to the U.S. Navy, serving in the Pacific for two | ||
years; after his military service, he returned to the merchant | ||
marine, sailing around the world five times before the age of 21; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, In 1951, Mr. Blankenship resumed his education, | ||
earning two bachelor's degrees and a master's degree from Stephen F. | ||
Austin State College; during his college years, he was joined in | ||
matrimony to the former Carolyn Keeling, and they enjoyed a | ||
fulfilling relationship that endured until his death and were the | ||
parents of three daughters, Roberta, Jimmie, and Jean; and | ||
WHEREAS, Dr. Blankenship received his dental degree from The | ||
University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston in 1958, and in 1963 he | ||
earned his medical degree from The University of Texas Medical | ||
Branch in Galveston, with a specialty in oral and maxillofacial | ||
surgery; during the course of a long and successful career, he | ||
worked on the staffs of 40 hospitals and published 150 scientific | ||
articles; he taught full-time and part-time for a total of 21 years, | ||
and he retired as a professor of surgery from The University of | ||
Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio; and | ||
WHEREAS, This patriotic American dedicated much of his life | ||
to his work as a military doctor, starting with service as a dental | ||
officer with the U.S. Naval Reserve and the U.S. Marine Corps | ||
Reserve; he later became a battalion surgeon for the USMCR, and in | ||
1966 he volunteered for service in Vietnam, where he was wounded in | ||
combat; after working as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Air Force | ||
Reserve, he returned to active duty in the navy in 1974, serving as | ||
medical officer on submarines, division surgeon for the Marines on | ||
Okinawa, director of clinical services at the Naval Hospital in | ||
Corpus Christi, and senior naval medical officer with the European | ||
Command of the U.S. Army, among other postings; he retired from the | ||
navy at the rank of captain; and | ||
WHEREAS, Dr. Blankenship's outstanding service to his | ||
country was recognized with 55 military decorations, including the | ||
Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, and the Navy and Marine Corps | ||
Medal; he was also the recipient of a certificate of appreciation | ||
from the U.S. Department of State, a postdoctoral fellowship from | ||
the U.S. Public Health Service, and a certificate of humanitarian | ||
service from the American Heart Association; and | ||
WHEREAS, This dynamic individual also found time to | ||
participate in a number of commercial enterprises over the years, | ||
including farming and ranching, the oil and gas industry, real | ||
estate, and the restaurant business, among many others; he was a | ||
trained pilot, deep-sea diver, and parachutist, and he visited all | ||
50 states and 90 foreign countries, including three tours as a | ||
medical missionary in Central America; in retirement, he became a | ||
beloved member of the Padre Island community; and | ||
WHEREAS, "Doc" Blankenship lived a life of high adventure and | ||
extraordinary achievement, and throughout all his travels, he | ||
dedicated himself to the relief of suffering and the service of his | ||
nation, enjoying the love and support of his family and earning the | ||
deep and lasting respect of all who knew him; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. Billy Jim | ||
Blankenship and extend sincere condolences to the members of his | ||
family: to his wife of 58 years, Carolyn Blankenship; to his | ||
daughters, Roberta Soward and her husband, Fred, and Jean Ann | ||
Paluseo and her husband, Jeff; to his grandchildren, Jackson | ||
Soward, Cassidy Soward, Jayden Paluseo, Journey Paluseo, and Jazlyn | ||
Paluseo; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of | ||
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. Billy | ||
Jim Blankenship. | ||
Hunter | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 142 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the House on February 24, 2011. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||