Bill Text: TX SR67 | 2023 | 88th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizing Donald Gene Davidson on the occasion of his 95th birthday.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-10-31 - Reported enrolled [SR67 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR67-Introduced.html
88S31058 CJM-D | ||
By: Kolkhorst | S.R. No. 67 |
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WHEREAS, The 95th birthday of an esteemed member of the | ||
Greatest Generation is indeed cause for celebration, and Donald | ||
Gene Davidson of Brenham is marking this milestone in his life on | ||
December 7, 2023; and | ||
WHEREAS, The son of Mary Pauline and William Davidson, Don | ||
Davidson was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1928; he served as | ||
a paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division at the end | ||
of World War II, taking part in the occupation of Japan; after | ||
receiving his honorable discharge, he earned his bachelor's degree | ||
in industrial management at Oklahoma State University; he wed the | ||
former Patricia "Patsy" Sue Paschall on June 1, 1950, and they | ||
became the proud parents of a son, Greg; through the years, their | ||
treasured family grew to include a daughter-in-law, Donna Garcia | ||
Davidson, and a granddaughter, Mary Grace Davidson; Mr. and | ||
Mrs. Davidson shared a fulfilling 64-year relationship until her | ||
passing in 2015; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Davidson began his career with Standard Oil of | ||
Indiana, and in the late 1950s, he was involved in opening up new | ||
oil fields in the U.S. and the Persian Gulf; switching to the | ||
aerospace industry in the 1960s, he worked on the Polaris, Ranger, | ||
and Minuteman programs for Hercules Powder Company in Salt Lake | ||
City and on the design and testing phase of Apollo Lunar Excursion | ||
Module components for Brown Engineering Company; later, he returned | ||
to the energy sector and helped to establish a communication | ||
platform along the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline; he retired from Atlantic | ||
Richfield Company in 1986 to focus on raising Longhorn cattle at | ||
Grand Ranch; in addition, he had two other family businesses, Mail | ||
Courier Express and Pee Dee Patterns, where he was both owner and | ||
artist; he also starred in Walking Away, an award-winning | ||
independent movie; and | ||
WHEREAS, A prolific author, Mr. Davidson wrote a novel about | ||
the Greatest Generation, as well as a 670-page history of the | ||
Davidson family, tracing it from 14th Century Scotland to modern | ||
America; he has been an active blogger for 15 years, recording his | ||
insights in "The View from Grand Ranch: The Ramblings and | ||
Ruminations of an Octogenarian"; very active in the Republican | ||
Party, he has served as an election judge and precinct worker; he | ||
maintained his vigorous fitness regimen well into his 90s; and | ||
WHEREAS, Respected and admired by all who are privileged to | ||
know him, Don Davidson may reflect with great satisfaction on a | ||
lifetime of achievement, and it is a pleasure to join his friends | ||
and loved ones in honoring him on this memorable occasion; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature, 3rd | ||
Called Session, hereby congratulate Donald Gene Davidson on his | ||
95th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued | ||
happiness; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for Mr. Davidson as an expression of high regard by the | ||
Texas Senate. |