H.C.R. No. 72
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature is proud to honor Sherman
1-2 businessman and civic leader Ben Blackburn for his outstanding
1-3 contributions to the residents of Sherman and Grayson County; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Born on October 8, 1906, in Reyno, Arkansas,
1-5 Mr. Blackburn attended classes in a two-room country schoolhouse
1-6 as a boy; throughout his life, he has remained faithful to these
1-7 small-town roots, dedicating himself to improving the lives of
1-8 those in his family and community; and
1-9 WHEREAS, This exceptional gentleman and his wife, Irma, were
1-10 married in 1924, and soon thereafter he embarked on a successful
1-11 career in milling while continuing to further his education; and
1-12 WHEREAS, During his 10-year apprenticeship in grain
1-13 processing at Valier and Spies Milling Company in St. Louis,
1-14 Missouri, Mr. Blackburn studied engineering and business through
1-15 the La Salle Extension University correspondence program; he also
1-16 attended night classes in mathematics and engineering at Washington
1-17 University, one of the most prestigious universities in the
1-18 Midwest; and
1-19 WHEREAS, For three decades, this diligent entrepreneur won
1-20 the respect and admiration of his many peers, operating mills that
1-21 processed between 500 and 50,000 hundredweight per day in many
1-22 states, including Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Kansas, and
1-23 Texas; and
1-24 WHEREAS, Moving to his adopted hometown of Sherman, Texas, in
2-1 1950, Mr. Blackburn joined Fant Milling as general superintendent;
2-2 responding to changes in the Texas economy, he changed careers at
2-3 age 51, when he was hired as manager of Texoma, Inc., a
2-4 manufacturer of drilling equipment; and
2-5 WHEREAS, Having worked his way up to become president and
2-6 chief executive officer of the company that had evolved into
2-7 Reedrill, Inc., he has won countless awards from business and
2-8 professional organizations; an honorary life member of the Texas
2-9 Association of Business and the International Association of
2-10 Operative Millers, he won the first exceptional service award ever
2-11 given by the Texas Electric Co-operatives and was honored with the
2-12 Sherman Chamber of Commerce presidential award; and
2-13 WHEREAS, During the last four decades, this distinguished
2-14 citizen has built a distinguished record of service to his
2-15 community; he has been an elder of the Presbyterian church, a
2-16 charter member of Goals for Sherman, and a board member of Goodwill
2-17 Industry of Northeast Texas; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Mr. Blackburn also has served as director of the Red
2-19 River Authority, the Greater Grayson Forum, and MHMR of Texoma
2-20 Region; of all his accomplishments, however, he is perhaps most
2-21 proud of the role he played in the completion of the Grayson County
2-22 Justice Center; and
2-23 WHEREAS, In recognition of his tireless work in behalf of his
2-24 community, this admirable civic leader has garnered numerous awards
2-25 from the Grayson County Commissioners Court, the Texoma Regional
2-26 Planning Commission, and other local organizations; and
2-27 WHEREAS, Despite his many civic and professional activities,
3-1 Mr. Blackburn is above all else a devoted family man who enjoys a
3-2 happy and rewarding marriage with his wife, Irma, and who cherishes
3-3 his daughter, two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren; and
3-4 WHEREAS, This remarkable gentleman is known to all for his
3-5 warmth, generosity, and delightful sense of humor, and his presence
3-6 will be deeply missed by the residents of Sherman when he moves to
3-7 Louisville, Kentucky, to be near his daughter; and
3-8 WHEREAS, An inspiration to all Texans, his many
3-9 accomplishments are indeed worthy of our highest praise and
3-10 recognition; now, therefore, be it
3-11 RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
3-12 hereby honor Ben Blackburn for his many exemplary contributions to
3-13 his community and state; and, be it further
3-14 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-15 prepared for Mr. Blackburn as an expression of high regard by the
3-16 Legislature of the State of Texas.
3-17 prepared for Mr. Blackburn as an expression of high regard by the
3-18 Legislature of the State of Texas.
3-19 Seidlits
3-20 H.C.R. No. 72
3-21 Laney Giddings Munoz
3-22 Alexander Glaze Naishtat
3-23 Allen Goodman Nieto
3-24 Alonzo Goolsby Oakley
3-25 Alvarado Granoff Ogden
3-26 Averitt Gray Oliveira
3-27 Bailey Greenberg Park
4-1 Berlanga Grusendorf Parra
4-2 Black Gutierrez Patterson
4-3 Blackwood Haggerty Pitts
4-4 Bomer Hamric Place
4-5 Bosse Harris Price
4-6 Brady Hartnett Puente
4-7 Brimer Heflin Rabuck
4-8 Cain Hernandez Ramsay
4-9 Campbell Hightower Rangel
4-10 Carona Hilbert Raymond
4-11 Carter Hilderbran Rodriguez
4-12 Chisum Hill Romo
4-13 Clemons Hirschi Rudd
4-14 Coleman Hochberg Sadler
4-15 Combs Holzheauser Saunders
4-16 Conley Horn Schechter
4-17 Cook Hudson Seidlits
4-18 Corte Hunter of Taylor Shields
4-19 Counts Hunter of Nueces Siebert
4-20 Crabb Jackson A. Smith of Harris
4-21 Craddick James D. Smith of Harris
4-22 Cuellar of Webb Johnson Smithee
4-23 Cuellar of Hidalgo Jones of Lubbock Solis
4-24 Culberson Jones of Dallas Stiles
4-25 Danburg Junell Swinford
4-26 Davila Kamel Tallas
4-27 Davis Krusee Talton
5-1 De La Garza Kubiak Telford
5-2 Dear Kuempel Thompson of Tarrant
5-3 Delco Lewis Thompson of Harris
5-4 Delisi Linebarger Turner of Coleman
5-5 Denton Longoria Turner of Harris
5-6 Driver Luna Uher
5-7 Duncan McCall Van de Putte
5-8 Dutton McCoulskey Vowell
5-9 Earley McDonald West
5-10 Eckels Madden Williamson
5-11 Edwards Marchant Willis
5-12 Erickson Martin Wilson
5-13 Finnell Maxey Wolens
5-14 Flores Moffat Yarbrough
5-15 Gallego Moreno Yost
5-16 Gallegos Mowery Zbranek
5-17 H.C.R. No. 72
5-18 _______________________________ _______________________________
5-19 President of the Senate Speaker of the House
5-20 I certify that H.C.R. No. 72 was adopted by the House on
5-21 March 8, 1993, by a non-record vote.
5-22 _______________________________
5-23 Chief Clerk of the House
5-24 I certify that H.C.R. No. 72 was adopted by the Senate on May
5-25 21, 1993.
5-26 _______________________________
5-27 Secretary of the Senate
6-1 APPROVED: _____________________
6-2 Date
6-3 _____________________
6-4 Governor