| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Lawrence B. Harkless is being inducted into the |
|
|
Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Association Hall of |
|
|
Fame on July 15, 2023, for his achievements in football; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Raised in the Mayflower community in Tatum, Lawrence |
|
|
Harkless was the signal caller for the 1966 Mayflower High School |
|
|
football team that advanced to the state final under the guidance of |
|
|
his father, head coach Algie P. Harkless; completing his high |
|
|
school career at Tatum High School, he became the first Black |
|
|
student athlete to play quarterback in East Texas, and he led the |
|
|
Panthers to a regional championship victory; after attending North |
|
|
Texas State University, he earned a bachelor's degree and a doctor |
|
|
of podiatric medicine degree from the California College of |
|
|
Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Distinguishing himself over the course of a 30-year |
|
|
career, Dr. Harkless worked at The University of Texas Health |
|
|
Science Center at San Antonio, served as a professor in the |
|
|
Department of Orthopedics at Bexar County Hospital, and was the |
|
|
founding dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College |
|
|
of Podiatric Medicine; moreover, he was the interim dean of the |
|
|
first school of podiatric medicine in the Lone Star State at The |
|
|
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Dr. Harkless has received the UT Health San Antonio |
|
|
Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence and the Outstanding |
|
|
Educator in Diabetes Award from the American Diabetes Association; |
|
|
in 1995, he was appointed by Governor George W. Bush to the Texas |
|
|
Diabetes Council; he is a deacon at Second Baptist Church in San |
|
|
Antonio, and he enjoys the love and support of his wife, Gerry, his |
|
|
children, Erin and Lawrence, and his grandchildren, Eliana, Zola, |
|
|
Elijah, Charles, and Ethan; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Through his accomplishments in football and in the |
|
|
health field, Dr. Lawrence Harkless has set an outstanding example |
|
|
to which others may aspire, and he is indeed deserving of this |
|
|
notable honor; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature, 1st |
|
|
Called Session, hereby congratulate Dr. Lawrence B. Harkless on his |
|
|
induction into the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches |
|
|
Association Hall of Fame and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
|
|
the future; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Dr. Harkless as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas Senate. |