TITLE: Congratulating Tom "Ike" Morris of San Antonio on his 107th birthday.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Tom "Ike" Morris of San Antonio on his 107th birthday.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, An esteemed World War II veteran and the oldest living alumnus of Texas A&M University, Tom Clint Morris of San Antonio is celebrating his 107th birthday on August 1, 2017; and WHEREAS, Known as "Ike" to his family and friends, Mr. Morris was born in 1910 and grew up on a farm in Forreston with his three brothers and two sisters; he graduated from Waxahachie High School before enrolling at the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas in 1929; there, he served as advertising manager of the college annual, a member of the Corps of Cadets and the Aggie Ring committee, and senior class president, all while carrying a full course load, waiting tables in the athletes' dining hall, taking tickets at events, and performing a number of other odd jobs; and WHEREAS, After graduating in 1933 with a bachelor's degree in agriculture, Mr. Morris was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve; he returned to his hometown and accepted a job as principal and coach for the Forreston School; on June 1, 1934, he was joined in matrimony to the former Margaret Calvin, whom he had known since high school, and they went on to share a loving marriage that spanned 76 years; and WHEREAS, Mr. Morris worked as a civil servant with the Department of Agriculture before being called up in 1941 for what was scheduled to be a year of active military duty; nine months later, the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, and he was among the valiant Americans who would serve for the duration of the conflict; following training in the United States, he said goodbye to Margaret and his young son, Tommy, and was deployed to the European theater as an officer with the 38th Infantry Regiment of the Second Infantry Division; his unit landed in Normandy shortly after D-Day and helped capture Trevieres, the first sizable town liberated from Nazi control during the invasion; and WHEREAS, Over the next 11 months, he and his men took part in operations in Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland, the Battle of the Bulge, and Central Europe, playing a key role in the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany; a skilled and courageous leader, he became a battalion commander and was promoted from major to lieutenant colonel during his service in Europe; after the war, he remained in the reserve until 1963, when he retired at the rank of colonel; in recognition of his efforts during the war, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, that country's highest decoration, in 2015; and WHEREAS, In his civilian life, Mr. Morris enjoyed several lines of work, including co-owning Waxahachie Frozen Foods and raising Black Angus cattle; in 1952 he returned to his prewar career in federal civil service and eventually retired from that field; dedicated to giving back to his fellow Texans, he served as president of the Waxahachie school board, and he is a longtime supporter of the Texas A&M Association of Former Students; and WHEREAS, This remarkable man has lived life to the fullest for well over a century, and it is indeed a pleasure to honor him for his many contributions to our nation and to the State of Texas; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate Tom "Ike" Morris on his 107th 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. Morris as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Wray Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 138 was adopted by the House on August 15, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House