83R8475 JGH-D
 
  By: Pitts H.R. No. 640
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, The State of Texas and the entire nation are
  mourning the tragic loss of Christopher Scott Kyle of Midlothian,
  an American hero who died on February 2, 2013, at the age of 38; and
         WHEREAS, Chris Kyle was born in Odessa on April 8, 1974, to
  Wayne and Deby Kyle; growing up on his parents' ranch, he enjoyed an
  active life; he learned marksmanship at an early age, hunting deer
  and pheasant, and when he was older, he challenged himself further
  as a professional bronco and bull rider; and
         WHEREAS, After studying ranch and range management for two
  years at Tarleton State University and then working as a ranch hand,
  Mr. Kyle answered his nation's call to duty and joined the U.S. Navy
  in 1999; his skill and determination quickly led to his transfer to
  the SEALs, the navy's elite special operations force, where he
  prevailed throughout the team's strenuous selection process and was
  chosen to receive sniper training; and
         WHEREAS, Throughout four combat tours, Mr. Kyle served with
  SEAL Team 3 in the thick of battle in such places as Ramadi,
  Fallujah, and Baghdad, and his exceptional ability as a marksman
  enabled him to save countless American lives and earned him
  legendary status as the most successful sniper in U.S. history; his
  outstanding record was recognized with two Silver Stars and five
  Bronze Stars with Valor, among many other decorations; following
  his combat deployments, he served as a chief instructor for
  training other navy snipers, and he wrote the first Navy SEAL sniper
  manual; and
         WHEREAS, Chris Kyle retired from the navy in 2009 as a chief
  petty officer and returned to his family in Texas; his combat
  memoir, American Sniper, became a worldwide bestseller, with
  proceeds from the book going to the families of two fellow SEALs who
  were killed in battle; in addition, he cofounded Craft
  International, which trains military, police, and civilian
  security forces, and he also appeared on the NBC show Stars Earn
  Stripes; and
         WHEREAS, More importantly, Mr. Kyle devoted himself to caring
  for his fellow veterans, and he helped found the FITCO Cares
  Foundation, which provides at-home fitness equipment to veterans
  recovering from the emotional and physical wounds of war; his
  commitment to the support of servicemen and servicewomen and their
  families was heartfelt, deep, and enduring; and
         WHEREAS, Chris Kyle was an outstanding soldier, a humble
  patriot, a man of strong faith, and a loving husband, father, son,
  and brother; his generosity, good humor, and compassion encompassed
  not just those closest to him, but all those men and women who
  accept, as he did, both the sacrifice and the privilege of serving
  their nation; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
  Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Christopher Scott
  Kyle and extend heartfelt condolences to the members of his family:
  to his wife, Taya, and their two children; to his parents, Wayne and
  Deby Kyle; to his brother, Jeff Kyle, his wife, Amy, and their two
  daughters; to his grandmothers, Joyce Kyle and Louise Mercer; to
  his parents-in-law, Kent and Kim Studebaker; to his sister-in-law,
  Ashley Purvis-Smith, her husband, Stewart, and their four children;
  and to his other relatives, friends, and many admirers across the
  Lone Star State and beyond; 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 Chris Kyle.