| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The life of a dedicated public servant drew to a |
|
|
close with the passing of former Ponderosa Fire Department fire |
|
|
chief John Peter O'Gorman on February 18, 2015, at the age of 72; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, John O'Gorman was |
|
|
born on November 30, 1942, to Arthur and Mary O'Gorman; he graduated |
|
|
from the University of Notre Dame in 1964 and earned a master's |
|
|
degree from Michigan State University the following year; |
|
|
Mr. O'Gorman began his career with Shell Chemical in New York in |
|
|
1966 and by the early 1970s had transferred to the company's Deer |
|
|
Park facility; he served as emergency response coordinator there |
|
|
from January 1981 until his retirement in December 1999; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, John O'Gorman was committed to protecting and |
|
|
serving his fellow citizens; a charter member of the Ponderosa Fire |
|
|
Department, he held a number of important leadership positions |
|
|
within the organization, including those of assistant chief, |
|
|
training chief, and fire chief; he served in the latter capacity on |
|
|
three occasions, from 1982 to 1985, 1994 to 1995, and 2000 to 2003; |
|
|
moreover, he played an instrumental role in the establishment of |
|
|
the PFD training facility as well as fire stations No. 2 and No. 3; |
|
|
a valued mentor to a host of fellow firefighters, he retired from |
|
|
the PFD in 2013 after four decades of dedicated service; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, This esteemed gentleman additionally served for |
|
|
many years as an instructor with the Texas A&M Engineering |
|
|
Extension Service, sharing his skill and expertise with countless |
|
|
students in its Municipal Fire School; Chief O'Gorman also helped |
|
|
the Houston Fire Department to develop its HAZMAT Team, and he was a |
|
|
charter member of the Hazardous Materials Committee of the |
|
|
International Association of Fire Chiefs; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, John O'Gorman enjoyed the love |
|
|
and support of his wife, Elaine; he was the proud father of two |
|
|
children, Elena and Patrick, and he knew the joy of welcoming two |
|
|
grandchildren, Madeline and Mary, into his cherished family; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, When not engaged in his family or professional |
|
|
responsibilities, Chief O'Gorman delighted in woodworking, |
|
|
collecting fire department patches, and cheering on his beloved |
|
|
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team; he was also a valued |
|
|
congregant of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in New |
|
|
Braunfels; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Devoted to his family and his community, John |
|
|
O'Gorman lived a caring and purposeful life, and he will forever be |
|
|
remembered with great fondness and respect by his fellow |
|
|
firefighters and by all who had the good fortune to know him; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of John Peter O'Gorman |
|
|
and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
|
|
wife, Mary Elaine Thelen-O'Gorman; to his children, Elena O'Gorman |
|
|
and Patrick O'Gorman and his wife, Diane; to his grandchildren, |
|
|
Madeline and Mary O'Gorman; 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 John Peter |
|
|
O'Gorman. |