TITLE: In memory of William Douglas Jefferson.

SUMMARY: In memory of William Douglas Jefferson.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas honors and commemorates the life of William Douglas Jefferson, who died recently at the age of 81; and WHEREAS, Bill Jefferson was born January 30, 1932, in Chicago; he grew up in Milwaukee and attended the University of Wisconsin, where he was a member of the football team; and WHEREAS, He enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Korean War and was assigned to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio; the discipline of military life and its attendant emphasis on merit helped him cope with the segregation and prejudice of life in the South; and WHEREAS, He married his high school sweetheart, Joyce Virginia Olivier, in 1954, and the couple raised six children together, Roxanne, Darrell, Lamont, Celeste, Wallace, and Leah; they were blessed with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Mr. Jefferson served in the United States Air Force with distinction for 21 years, retiring with the rank of major; while in the armed forces, he returned to college and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Puget Sound and a master's degree from Saint Mary's University; and WHEREAS, After his military career, he served as an adjunct professor of political science at Saint Philip's College and San Antonio College; he was a volunteer for many years with the Salvation Army, and he served on the board of Saint Peter-Saint Joseph Children's Home; and WHEREAS, His genealogical studies led him to the discovery that he was a descendant of a Waco slave, Shedrick Willis, whose owner was a state court judge, and he greatly appreciated the irony of the fact that his son, Wallace B. Jefferson, is now chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas; and WHEREAS, A devout Christian who practiced his faith in his daily life, he served as a Eucharistic minister for more than 40 years at the Catholic church at Lackland Air Force Base; and WHEREAS, A man of courage, strength, and compassion, he gave unselfishly to others, and his patriotism, his devotion to duty, and his enthusiasm for living each day to the fullest will not be forgotten; and WHEREAS, He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and he leaves behind memories that will be treasured forever by his family and many friends; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved family of William Douglas Jefferson; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in memory of William Douglas Jefferson. Ellis President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on July 17, 2013, by a rising vote.