House Bill 9523

    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9523

        By Representative Ziebarth






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution honoring the life of Thomas Joseph

  3         "Tommy" Lawrence.

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  5         WHEREAS, Thomas "Tommy" Lawrence was born February 26,

  6  1938, in DeLand, Florida, and graduated from DeLand High

  7  School in 1956 and from the University of Florida in 1960 with

  8  a bachelor of science degree in agriculture, and

  9         WHEREAS, after college, Tommy Lawrence returned to the

10  family farm where he and his brother bought his family's

11  citrus and fern farming interests and Tommy became president

12  and general manager of Lawrence Farms, and

13         WHEREAS, Tommy Lawrence served on the Volusia County

14  Farm Bureau's board of directors from 1961 until his death in

15  1998 and served as treasurer of the Florida Farm Bureau board

16  for 12 years, and

17         WHEREAS, Tommy Lawrence, who improved the fern growing

18  industry with his vision, was an active member of the Florida

19  Fern Grower's Association, which association he was largely

20  responsible for establishing and promoting and for which he

21  served as president for many years, and

22         WHEREAS, Tommy Lawrence was a member of Volusia

23  County's Agribusiness Interrelations Committee, was a past

24  president of the Volusia Poultryman's Association, had served

25  as a director of the Volusia County Fair, and

26         WHEREAS, Tommy Lawrence was twice named Outstanding

27  Young Farmer by the Jaycees and named an Outstanding Young Man

28  by the Jaycees in 1971, and

29         WHEREAS, Tommy Lawrence was well known and active in

30  many community organizations and was most noted for his

31  promotion of Volusia County's agribusiness industry, being

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HR 9523

    559-153A-98






  1  very influential in getting a number of policies and programs

  2  passed to help ensure the success of agriculture in Volusia

  3  County, and

  4         WHEREAS, Tommy Lawrence was also known for is kindness

  5  and concern for others and his willingness to serve his

  6  community, NOW, THEREFORE,

  7

  8  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

  9  Florida:

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11         That the House of Representatives recognizes Thomas

12  Joseph "Tommy" Lawrence for his contributions to his family,

13  community, and the agribusiness of Volusia County and the

14  State of Florida.

15         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution

16  be presented to the family of Thomas Joseph "Tommy" Lawrence

17  as a token of the sentiments expressed herein.

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