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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life drew to a close with the |
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death of former Lufkin city councilman Percy Alvin Simond Jr. on |
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April 8, 2015, at the age of 97; and |
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WHEREAS, Percy Simond was born on February 22, 1918, to Percy |
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A. Simond Sr. and Amanda Thomas Simond; he graduated from Dunbar |
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High School in Lufkin in 1939, and he went on to attend Texas |
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College in Tyler and to serve his nation in the United States Army; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In the late 1940s, Mr. Simond moved to Los Angeles, |
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where he met his future wife, Princella, known affectionately as |
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"Princess"; they shared nearly 67 years together and were blessed |
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with a daughter, Sharon; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Simond worked for the U.S. Postal Service, an |
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automobile dealership, and, for 23 years, for Golden State Mutual |
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Life Insurance Company; in 1978, he and his wife left California to |
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return to Lufkin, and he worked as an apartment manager for nearly |
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three decades until his retirement in 2007; and |
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WHEREAS, A lifetime member of the NAACP, Mr. Simond was |
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thought to be the first African American city councilman in the |
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history of Lufkin, and during his exemplary 18-year tenure on the |
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council, he played a leading role in the building of a new city |
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hall, increasing the salaries of municipal employees, the |
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improvement of infrastructure, and many other programs and |
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initiatives; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Simond was also an active member of the Angelina |
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Citizens Chamber of Commerce, the Deep East Texas Council of |
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Governments, the Voters League, and the Urban League, among others; |
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a man of strong religious faith, he was the chair of the board of |
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trustees and a member of the steward board at Long Chapel CME |
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Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Simond's long record of civic engagement was |
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honored on numerous occasions; he received the Humanitarian Award |
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from the Top Ladies of Distinction and the Citizens Chamber Award, |
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and he was named one of Nine Who Make a Difference by KTRE-TV in |
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Lufkin; in 2009, three recreation pavilions at the Inez Tims |
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Village Apartments were named in his honor, in recognition of his |
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long service as the apartment complex's manager, and on Martin |
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Luther King Jr. Day in 2010, he was inducted into the Dunbar Hall of |
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Honor; and |
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WHEREAS, An engaged citizen, a devoted husband, and an |
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admired community leader, Percy Simond leaves behind a legacy of |
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good works that will long resonate in the Lufkin community; now, |
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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 Percy Alvin Simond Jr. |
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and extend sincere condolences to his wife, Princella Parsons |
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Simond; to his sisters, Lillie B. Simond Davis and Christa B. Simond |
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Ingram; and to his other relatives and 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 Percy Alvin |
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Simond Jr. |