H.C.R. No. 21 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The State of Texas has lost a favorite son with the 1-2 passing of the Honorable John Bowden Connally, Jr., on June 15, 1-3 1993, at the age of 76; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Among the most popular governors ever to lead the 1-5 Lone Star State, this legendary Texan was one of only three Texas 1-6 governors to win election to a third term in office, having earned 1-7 the respect and admiration of the citizens of this state throughout 1-8 his distinguished tenure in the Governor's Mansion; and 1-9 WHEREAS, A native Texan, he was born in Floresville on 1-10 February 27, 1917, to John B. and Lela Wright Connally, and as a 1-11 young man attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he 1-12 pursued an interest in drama and politics in the late 1930s; and 1-13 WHEREAS, While a student at the university, Governor Connally 1-14 became involved in his first political campaign when he worked to 1-15 elect future Congressman Jake Pickle to the post of student body 1-16 president, a position that he would attain himself the following 1-17 year; a contemporary of such noted thespians as Zachary Scott and 1-18 Eli Wallach, Governor Connally also made the acquaintance of his 1-19 future bride, Miss Idanell Brill of Austin, through his involvement 1-20 in campus theater groups, and the couple were united in marriage in 1-21 1940; and 1-22 WHEREAS, At the age of 20, he assisted Lyndon Johnson in his 1-23 successful bid to replace United States Representative James Paul 1-24 Buchanan in a special election, beginning a friendship that would 2-1 one day propel Governor Connally into the forefront of national 2-2 politics; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Following Johnson's election to the United States 2-4 House of Representatives, Governor Connally postponed the 2-5 completion of his law degree to accept a position with the freshman 2-6 congressman and worked in Washington until 1941, when he returned 2-7 to Austin to complete his degree and practice law; and 2-8 WHEREAS, After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, this 2-9 patriotic Texan was commissioned an officer in the United States 2-10 Navy and proudly served his country at posts in Washington, North 2-11 Africa, and the Pacific, where his duties involved directing 2-12 fighter aircraft aboard the aircraft carriers the USS Essex and the 2-13 USS Bennington; and 2-14 WHEREAS, Returning to Austin after completing his military 2-15 duty, the future governor joined other veterans to form a new radio 2-16 station, KVET, and managed the station until 1949, when he again 2-17 served briefly as an aide to Senator Johnson; and 2-18 WHEREAS, In 1952, Governor Connally made a move that bespoke 2-19 a bright future, becoming the attorney for Fort Worth independent 2-20 oil operators Sid W. Richardson and Perry Bass; and 2-21 WHEREAS, In 1961, his naval wartime experience earned him the 2-22 recognition of President Kennedy, who selected him to serve as 2-23 secretary of the navy, a post from which he would resign in 2-24 December of 1961 to run as the Democratic Party's nominee for 2-25 governor; and 2-26 WHEREAS, John Connally was sworn in for the first of his 2-27 three terms as governor of Texas in January of 1963 at the age of 3-1 45; on November 22 of that year, he was seriously wounded by the 3-2 assassin's bullets that claimed the life of President Kennedy as 3-3 they rode together in the presidential limousine through downtown 3-4 Dallas; and 3-5 WHEREAS, Despite the tragedy, he was determined to make a 3-6 positive difference in the lives of his constituents and went on to 3-7 make the improvement of education and state services, the 3-8 development of water resources, and a strong focus on tourism the 3-9 highlights of his first term in office; and 3-10 WHEREAS, Governor Connally successfully concentrated on 3-11 securing more state funding for education during his second term, 3-12 and his final term as governor resulted in an increase in teacher 3-13 salaries and a revision of the state's criminal code; and 3-14 WHEREAS, After leaving public office in 1969 to become a 3-15 partner in the powerful Houston law firm of Vinson & Elkins, 3-16 Governor Connally returned to the national political scene in 1970, 3-17 when he was named secretary of the treasury by President Nixon; in 3-18 that capacity he played a major role in the development of a 3-19 dramatic series of economic proposals unveiled by the president in 3-20 1971; and 3-21 WHEREAS, The following year, he returned to his practice in 3-22 Houston, where he helped to organize Democrats for Nixon in the 3-23 presidential election, and in 1973 he became a member of the 3-24 Republican Party; and 3-25 WHEREAS, In the last years of his life, the former governor 3-26 had retired from Vinson & Elkins but remained active in the 3-27 community and in politics at the local and national levels; just 4-1 before the Persian Gulf War began in 1990, this distinguished 4-2 statesman drew on his considerable diplomatic skills to secure the 4-3 release of 21 hostages who were being held by Iraqi forces; and 4-4 WHEREAS, A man of great intelligence, integrity, and 4-5 commitment, John Connally dedicated much of his life to the 4-6 betterment of his state and nation; though his wisdom and special 4-7 presence will be deeply missed by all who were privileged to know 4-8 him, his spirit surely lives on in the many accomplishments he 4-9 leaves behind; now, therefore, be it 4-10 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas, 4-11 Regular Session, 1995, hereby pay tribute to the life of John 4-12 Bowden Connally, Jr., and extend deepest sympathy to the members of 4-13 his family: to his wife, Nellie Connally; to his daughter, Sharon 4-14 Ammann; to his sons, John B. Connally III and Mark Connally; to his 4-15 brothers, Golfrey Connally, Stanford Connally, Merrill Connally, 4-16 and Wayne Connally; to his sisters, Carmen Hicks and Blanche Kline; 4-17 to his eight grandchildren and great-grandchild; and to the many 4-18 other friends and relatives of this remarkable gentleman; and, be 4-19 it further 4-20 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 4-21 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas 4-22 House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in 4-23 memory of John Bowden Connally, Jr.