TITLE: In memory of longtime Legislative Budget Board analyst Val Shepperd of Austin.

SUMMARY: In memory of longtime Legislative Budget Board analyst Val Shepperd of Austin.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Officials and employees of state government lost an admired and respected friend with the passing of longtime Legislative Budget Board employee Val Shepperd of Austin on August 22, 2010, at the age of 50; and WHEREAS, Born on November 8, 1959, in Graham and raised in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, Val Shepperd graduated from Kansas State University in 1982 and from Auburn University in 1984, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in biology; after graduation, he went to work in the Dominican Republic and Indonesia as an aquatic biologist for USAID projects; and WHEREAS, Mr. Shepperd later returned to Texas and joined the staff of the LBB as an analyst in 1998, and his ability to see the big picture while paying close attention to detail later earned him a promotion as manager of the public safety and criminal justice team; well-known in the legislative and criminal justice communities for the depth of his knowledge, he was also appreciated for his warm and caring personality; and WHEREAS, Outside the office, Mr. Shepperd was a nature lover and outdoorsman, and he delighted in scuba diving, kayaking, and taking trips to Big Bend National Park and Olympic National Park; with his partner of eight years, Colleen, he also traveled the world, visiting Thailand, the Cayman Islands, Mexico, Costa Rica, Bonaire, Australia, Canada, Egypt, and Jordan; and WHEREAS, During his time on this earth, Val Shepperd lived a life rich in adventure and accomplishment, and he will always be remembered with great affection by all those who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Val Shepperd and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his mother, Pat; to his brothers, Scott, Dan, Mark, and Corey; to his sister, Vicki; to his soul mate and partner, Colleen; 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 Val Shepperd. Pitts Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 498 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 3, 2011. Chief Clerk of the House