| |
| |
|
|
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Memories of a life filled with joyful times and |
|
|
meaningful accomplishments remain to comfort the family and friends |
|
|
of Thomas Peter Whalen of Schertz, who passed away on July 30, 2010, |
|
|
at the age of 87; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, One of seven children, Tom Whalen was born on |
|
|
December 3, 1922, in Hoboken, New Jersey, to Peter and Mary Goggin |
|
|
Whalen; he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1942 and spent more than |
|
|
three years in the Pacific theater, serving mostly on the |
|
|
minesweeper USS YMS-365; after World War II, he married the former |
|
|
Rita Garille, with whom he would go on to raise six children, |
|
|
Daniel, Christine, Mary, Philip, Regina, and Ken, and share more |
|
|
than six decades; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Whalen reenlisted in the Navy in 1946, and |
|
|
through the years, he was stationed in California, Saipan, Cuba, |
|
|
Rhode Island, and Florida; trained as an electrician, he served on |
|
|
the aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La, the ammunition ship USS Mauna |
|
|
Loa, and the cargo ship USS Jupiter; he retired in 1964 with the |
|
|
rank of Chief Petty Officer; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Along with his family, Mr. Whalen settled in Tampa, |
|
|
Florida, where he worked as a journeyman electrician at Florida |
|
|
Steel; in 1972, the Whalens moved to Schertz, and Mr. Whalen became |
|
|
the maintenance supervisor at Structural Metals in Seguin; he had |
|
|
several other jobs before retiring for good in his seventies; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Whalen was a longtime member of the Knights of |
|
|
Columbus Council 6358; he was active in the group's charitable |
|
|
works, served as Grand Knight in 1975, and eventually attained the |
|
|
rank of Fourth Degree; moreover, he contributed his time and energy |
|
|
as a volunteer at Brooke Army Medical Center for many years; among |
|
|
his favorite pastimes were fishing, boating, and eating seafood at |
|
|
the Texas coast; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known Tom Whalen will |
|
|
remember the way he touched their lives with his optimism, sense of |
|
|
humor, and devotion to his family, and he will forever hold a |
|
|
treasured place in their hearts; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
|
|
hereby pay tribute to the memory of Thomas Peter Whalen and extend |
|
|
sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife, Rita |
|
|
Whalen; to his children, Daniel Whalen and his wife, Maureen Behan, |
|
|
Christine Young and her husband, Michael, Mary Swift, Philip Whalen |
|
|
and his wife, Daria, Regina Maxfield and her husband, Mike, and Ken |
|
|
Whalen and his wife, Jackie; to his sister, Margaret Kurz; to his 10 |
|
|
grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; and to his other relatives |
|
|
and 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
|
|
Tom Whalen. |