TITLE: In memory of Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Terry Bruce Burkett of Dublin, Texas.

SUMMARY: In memory of Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Terry Bruce Burkett of Dublin, Texas.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, A life filled with meaningful service drew to a close with the passing of Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Terry Bruce Burkett of Dublin, Texas, on May 9, 2015, at the age of 69; and WHEREAS, The youngest child of Edith Gabel and Lowell Burkett, Terry Burkett was born in Le Mars, Iowa, on April 26, 1946; he graduated from Cooper High School in Abilene in 1964 and enlisted to serve his country as a member of the U.S. Navy; in the course of a distinguished military career that spanned more than 22 years, he completed three tours of duty in Vietnam as a naval aircrewman and logged more than 6,000 flight hours as an aircrew chief; he received numerous accolades for his service, including the Air Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals, two Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Battle Effectiveness Award, and five Good Conduct Medals; and WHEREAS, After retiring, Mr. Burkett worked tirelessly in behalf of his fellow veterans, serving as commander and quartermaster of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3377 in Manchaca and as an active member of the Texas Association of Vietnam Veterans and the Vietnam Veterans of America; and WHEREAS, In one of Mr. Burkett's most notable efforts to honor former members of the armed forces, he spent eight years on the Texas Capitol Vietnam Veterans Monument Executive Committee; his dedicated support for the project also included service as chair of the Veterans Outreach Committee, monitoring production and casting of the bronze sculpture, maintaining a list of over 600 donors who contributed to the initiative, and helping construct an educational companion website; moreover, he was a member of the Groundbreaking and Dedication Ceremony Subcommittees and participated in a historic reading of the names of all 3,417 Texans who were killed or went missing in Vietnam; and WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Mr. Burkett enjoyed the love and support of his wife, Karen, and he was the proud father of four children, Christopher, Kelly, Jeffrey, and Lowell, and four stepchildren, Franklin, Charles, Douglas, and Samantha; over the years, his family grew to include 20 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, A respected military veteran who devoted himself to ensuring that service members were properly honored for their sacrifice, Terry Burkett touched many lives during his journey on this earth, and those who had the good fortune to know him will forever hold him close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Senior Chief Petty Officer (Ret.) Terry Bruce Burkett and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Karen Ayn Burkett; to his children, Christopher Leigh Burkett, Kelly Ann Fanelli, Jeffrey Allen Burkett, and Lowell David Burkett; to his stepchildren, Franklin James Barnard, Charles Michael Barnard, Douglas Gene Moore, and Samantha Kay Graham; to his 20 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; to his sisters, Marge Barnhill and Linda Smith; and to his other relatives and many 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 Terry Bruce Burkett. Smith King of Taylor Straus Gonz lez Otto Allen Guerra Paddie Alonzo Guillen Parker Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Anchia Harless Pe a Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Ashby Howard Pickett Aycock Huberty Price Bell Hughes Raney Bernal Hunter Raymond Blanco Isaac Reynolds Bohac Israel Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Button King of Parker Sanford Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Clardy Klick Schubert Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Dale Leach Smithee Darby Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel M rquez Stickland Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Fletcher Minjarez Vo Flynn Moody Walle Frank Morrison White of Bell Frullo Mu oz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Murphy Workman Geren Murr Wray Giddings Naishtat Wu Goldman Nev rez Zedler Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2956 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 27, 2015. Chief Clerk of the House