Bill Text: TX SR490 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Steven Harold Murdock.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-04-27 - Reported enrolled [SR490 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR490-Enrolled.html
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In Memory | ||
of | ||
Steve Murdock | ||
WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost an admired educator and | ||
demographer with the passing of former U.S. Census Bureau | ||
director Steven Harold Murdock on April 7, 2023, at the age of 74; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, The son of Lois and Raymond Murdock, Steve Murdock | ||
was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, on June 2, 1948; after | ||
graduating from North Dakota State University, he went on to earn | ||
his doctoral degree in demography and sociology from the | ||
University of Kentucky; he taught for a quarter century at Texas | ||
A&M University, where he held a Regents Chair; for a decade, he | ||
held the Lutcher Brown Distinguished Chair in Demography and | ||
Organization Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio; | ||
in 2007, he joined Rice University as the Allyn and Gladys Cline | ||
Chair in Sociology, and he became the founding director of Rice's | ||
Hobby Center for the Study of Texas; he was the author of dozens | ||
of books and nearly 50 academic journal articles, and he was a | ||
caring mentor to his Ph.D. students; and | ||
WHEREAS, Dr. Murdock originated and institutionalized the | ||
position of Texas state demographer; for more than 25 years, he | ||
guided the Texas State Data Center and Texas Population Estimates | ||
and Projections Program, taking a leadership role in the state's | ||
efforts in the 1980, 1990, and 2000 decennial censuses; he also | ||
made approximately 50 to 60 presentations each year on the | ||
changing size and distribution of the state's population at the | ||
request of groups such as legislators, school superintendents, | ||
and fellow academics; President George W. Bush nominated him as | ||
director of the U.S. Census Bureau in 2007, and his dedication to | ||
public service led him to accept, even though the job would last | ||
only a year until the next administration; he is credited with | ||
being the steady hand that kept the 2010 Census on course during a | ||
period of transition; and | ||
WHEREAS, Among numerous honors, Dr. Murdock received the | ||
Distinguished Alumni Award from North Dakota State University, | ||
the Faculty Distinguished Research Award from Texas A&M, and both | ||
the Distinguished Rural Sociologist and Excellence in Research | ||
Awards from the Rural Sociological Society; in 2005, he was named | ||
one of the 25 Most Influential Texans by Texas Monthly; and | ||
WHEREAS, Although Steve Murdock will be deeply missed, he | ||
left behind a legacy of scholarship and service that will be | ||
remembered and admired for years to come; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th | ||
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Steven Harold | ||
Murdock and extend sincere condolences to the members of his | ||
family: to his wife, Mary Zey; to his stepson, James Collins | ||
Ferrell; to his grandson, George Collins Ferrell; to his sister, | ||
Joann Lonbaken, and her husband, Roger, and his brother, Lee | ||
Murdock, and his wife, June; 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 Senate adjourns | ||
this day, it do so in memory of Steve Murdock. | ||
Eckhardt, Campbell | ||
________________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on April 27, 2023, by a | ||
rising vote. | ||
________________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate | ||
________________________________ | ||
Member, Texas Senate |