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          R E S O L U T I O N
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               WHEREAS, The certain knowledge of a life well lived may  | 
      
      
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        temper the profound sadness felt by the family and friends of  | 
      
      
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        Kennedy Clay Roland of Lockhart, who passed away on January 21,  | 
      
      
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        2015, at the age of 52; and | 
      
      
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               WHEREAS, Kenny Roland was born in St. John Colony on August  | 
      
      
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        16, 1962, to Preston Roland Jr. and Joe Irene Roland; a gifted  | 
      
      
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        athlete, he played on the varsity football, basketball, and track  | 
      
      
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        teams at Lockhart High School; soon after graduation in 1980, he  | 
      
      
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        joined Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative, where he worked as a  | 
      
      
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        journeyman lineman and construction crew supervisor during a career  | 
      
      
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        that spanned nearly three and a half decades; and | 
      
      
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               WHEREAS, In 1998, Mr. Roland became the first African  | 
      
      
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        American to be elected to the Lockhart City Council; he served as  | 
      
      
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        District 1 council member until 2010 and as at-large council member  | 
      
      
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        from 2013 to 2015; dedicated to building a stronger community and  | 
      
      
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        enriching the lives of his fellow residents, he founded the  | 
      
      
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        District 1 Pride organization and in 2004, he played a key role in  | 
      
      
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        coordinating the first annual MLK Parade in Lockhart; and | 
      
      
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               WHEREAS, A devoted family man, Mr. Roland enjoyed the love  | 
      
      
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        and support of his wife, Catherine, and he was adored by his  | 
      
      
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        daughter, Kennedy; and | 
      
      
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               WHEREAS, While the life of Kennedy Clay Roland ended far too  | 
      
      
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        soon, the generosity, integrity, and kindness with which he lived  | 
      
      
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        will forever inspire all who had the good fortune to know him; 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 memory of Kennedy Clay Roland  | 
      
      
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        and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his  | 
      
      
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        wife, Catherine Roland; to his daughter, Kennedy Cecelia Roland; to  | 
      
      
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        his brothers, Harold, Clay, and James Roland; to his sisters,  | 
      
      
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        Margie Thompson, Margaret Pansy and her husband, Wallace, Yvette  | 
      
      
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        Manning and her husband, Carey, and Edna Roland; and to his other  | 
      
      
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        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 Kennedy  | 
      
      
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        Clay Roland. |