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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, All who shared in the life of Johnny Welton Self were |
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deeply saddened by his passing on December 21, 2022, at the age of |
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72; and |
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WHEREAS, John Self was born to Helen Self Hickman and Jonas |
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Banks on January 29, 1950, in Zachary, Louisiana, and he grew up |
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with the companionship of four siblings, Clarence, Billy, Barbara, |
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and Ernest; after graduating from Chaneyville High School, he |
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obtained a bachelor's degree in business management at Southern |
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University in Baton Rouge; and |
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WHEREAS, A trailblazer throughout his career, Mr. Self was |
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the first Black firefighter to serve with the Arlington Fire |
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Department, beginning his tenure in 1973, and he went on to work for |
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the office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for several |
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years; when he was hired by TXU Energy/Oncor in 1999, he was the |
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first African American customer service representative at the |
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company, and with his appointment as vice president in 2004, he |
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became the first Black male to hold that post; his responsibilities |
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encompassed government affairs, and he emerged as a well-known |
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figure at the State Capitol, serving as a trusted advisor to |
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numerous elected officials; after retiring from TXU Energy/Oncor in |
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2008, he continued to work as a political consultant in Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, From an early age, Mr. Self was sustained by a deep |
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and abiding faith; a longtime congregant of Mount Olive Baptist |
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Church, he was a member of the executive board as well as a deacon, |
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usher, and Sunday school teacher; moreover, he played an |
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instrumental role in the construction of Lucille Baptist Church in |
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Palmer; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Self enjoyed the love and |
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support of his wife, Bea, with whom he shared a rewarding marriage |
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that spanned nearly five decades; he took great pride in their |
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children, Jeremy and Jarita, and over the years, he had the pleasure |
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of welcoming three grandchildren into the family; and |
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WHEREAS, An accomplished professional, an engaged citizen, |
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and a devoted family man, John Self leaves behind a record of good |
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works and impressive achievements that his loved ones can remember |
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with pride; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Johnny Welton Self and |
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extend heartfelt sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, |
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Beatrice Self; to his children, Jeremy Self and his wife, Angela, |
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and Jarita Gardner and her husband, Troy; to his grandchildren, |
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Tristan, Tatum, and Troy Johnny; to his siblings, Clarence Self and |
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his wife, Dafiney, Billy Self, and Barbara Anderson; to his |
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sisters-in-law, Mary Tapps, Gladys Bets, Dorothy Shaw and her |
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husband, David, Shirley Tapps, Barbara Netters, Pamela Jackson, and |
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Diana Davis; to his brother-in-law, Raymond Tapps and his wife, |
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Gayle; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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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 Johnny |
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Self. |