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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of Deputy Mayor Pro Tem James Nolen |
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Swafford on December 1, 2020, at the age of 84, has brought great |
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sadness to his loved ones and to his many friends in the Grand |
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Prairie community; and |
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WHEREAS, Jim Swafford was born in Oklahoma City on July 21, |
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1936, to Nolen and Bernice Swafford; a member of the Class of 1955 |
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at Arlington High School, he went on to graduate from The University |
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of Texas at Arlington and the Southwestern Graduate School of |
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Banking at Southern Methodist University; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Swafford enjoyed a rewarding career in the |
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banking industry before retiring as president and CEO of |
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NationsBank/Bank of America in 1996; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to the betterment of Grand Prairie, |
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Mr. Swafford was a member of the city council from 1977 to 1979 and |
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was elected to the District 2 seat in 1998; he served as mayor pro |
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tem for five terms, and he was known for his sharp analytical skills |
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and adept handling of the budget process; his other leadership |
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positions included vice president of the Grand Prairie Sports |
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Facilities Development Corporation, and he worked in support of the |
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Tax Increment Financing Districts; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Swafford was a longtime board member of the |
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Methodist Health System in Dallas; moreover, he presided over the |
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Grand Prairie Independent School District Board of Trustees and the |
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Grand Prairie Quality of Life Foundation; he was also involved with |
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many civic organizations, and he belonged to the DeMolay Legion of |
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Honor; twice recognized as the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce |
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Member of the Year, he was named Citizen of the Year in 1996 and |
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received the chamber's Zeus Award two years later; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Swafford drew strength |
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from the love and support of his wife of nearly six decades, the |
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former Judy Gipson, who preceded him in death; he was the devoted |
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father of two children, Robert and Renea, and he also took great |
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pride in his grandchildren, Jane Anne and Johnson, and |
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great-grandchildren, Graham and Colby; and |
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WHEREAS, Warm and compassionate, Jim Swafford was a devoted |
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family man and a significant asset to his community, and his |
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commitment to his loved ones and to Grand Prairie will be remembered |
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and admired for years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James Nolen Swafford |
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and extend sincere condolences to his relatives and friends; and, |
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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 Jim |
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Swafford. |