H.R. No. 505 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately convey the deep shock and 1-2 sorrow felt by all Texans who have heard of the recent tragedy that 1-3 has struck the close-knit community of Claude, which lost seven of 1-4 its finest young people in two separate accidents in February 1995; 1-5 and 1-6 WHEREAS, Blessed with boundless energy, determination, and 1-7 compassion for others, these remarkable individuals typified the 1-8 finest qualities of our state's young people and, at this time, the 1-9 members of this chamber would like to take a moment to pay tribute 1-10 to each of them, for their presence and achievements enriched the 1-11 lives of all who knew them; and 1-12 WHEREAS, A volunteer firefighter, Marcus King was the son of 1-13 Jeannie King White and Bob White and the youngest of three children 1-14 in his family; fun loving, popular among his peers, and a track 1-15 star at school, Marcus looked up to his big brother, Jimmy, was the 1-16 close confidant of his sister, Lanita, was adored by his beloved 1-17 nephew, Chaison, on whom he lavished attention, and was cherished 1-18 by his family for his sensitivity, compassion, and humor; and 1-19 WHEREAS, At 6 feet 2 inches tall and all heart, Jared Lee 1-20 Wright, the son of Randy and Kim Wright, was ranked number one in 1-21 his class and had hoped to one day become a physician; imbued with 1-22 a genuine love for his fellowman, Jared was a dedicated volunteer 1-23 for the fire department, the Armstrong County Museum, and the 1-24 annual Lions Club Picnic and earned the admiration of his community 2-1 for his extensive academic honors, his thoughtfulness in checking 2-2 on elderly neighbors, and his demonstrative affection for his 2-3 parents, grandparents, and sister, Jami, whose well-being he kept 2-4 close to his heart; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Creative, fun loving, and mischievous, Jacob Justin 2-6 Jones, the son of Orville Jones and Armstrong County Sheriff 2-7 Carmella Jones and brother of Jessie Jones, was an avowed class 2-8 clown who brightened the lives of his family and friends with his 2-9 happy, carefree nature and his constant curiosity, which earned him 2-10 the nickname of "McGyver" among a number of his friends; he enjoyed 2-11 adopting unusual pets, writing poetry, drawing cartoons, and 2-12 designing sculptures and could warm the coldest heart with one of 2-13 his winning smiles; and 2-14 WHEREAS, A young woman who treasured her family, friends, and 2-15 faith, Cheryl Campbell played an active role in the youth group of 2-16 Claude United Methodist Church as well as the Fellowship of 2-17 Christian Athletes at Claude High School, where she also 2-18 participated in track and was a member of the high school band; the 2-19 daughter of Jerry and Cindy Campbell and sister of Audra, Trista, 2-20 and Chris Campbell, she was very organized in her daily habits as 2-21 one of four children in her close-knit family, and took great 2-22 delight in twirling her baton to the accompaniment of a blaring 2-23 radio, shopping for gifts for others, writing letters to her 2-24 relatives, which she would personalize in her own special way, 2-25 collecting Precious Moments dolls, and spending precious moments 2-26 with her family; and 2-27 WHEREAS, Warm and outgoing, Brad Lee Stewart was a source of 3-1 great pride to his parents, Jimmy and Nancy Stewart, and to his 3-2 sister, Danielle Stewart, and his friendly personality made him an 3-3 instant hit among his fellow students at Claude High School, who 3-4 recognized him for his congeniality when they named him Class 3-5 Favorite for 1993-94; though he was an excellent baseball player 3-6 and involved in a number of demanding activities, Brad placed his 3-7 spiritual growth high on his list of priorities and was deeply 3-8 committed to his faith as a member of the Claude First United 3-9 Methodist Church and its youth group; and 3-10 WHEREAS, Equally dedicated to her faith was Anna Callie 3-11 Doyle, a lovely young woman who, in addition to her activities with 3-12 the United Methodist Church, served as a recruiter for the 3-13 Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Claude High School, where she 3-14 excelled in academics and was, in fact, so gifted that she could 3-15 have gained admittance to most universities while a student in the 3-16 seventh grade based on the high scores she received when she took 3-17 the ACT college entrance exam that year; the daughter of Chris and 3-18 John Doyle and sister of Andrea and John Doyle, Anna maintained a 3-19 very close relationship with her grandparents, loved horses, a 3-20 number of which she helped raise, and though she was not a natural 3-21 athlete, was active in numerous team sports and was greatly admired 3-22 by her coaches and teammates for the sincere pride she took in 3-23 being a part of the team; and 3-24 WHEREAS, Honest, hardworking, and disciplined, Macy Mark 3-25 Thomas, the son of Carol and Mark Thomas and brother of Craig 3-26 Thomas, was a young man who, like his friends, had amassed a wealth 3-27 of achievement for one so young and looked forward to a future 4-1 bright with promise; he demonstrated exemplary dedication in 4-2 attaining the rigorous goals he demanded of himself and brought 4-3 honor to his God, to his family, to his friends, and to the greater 4-4 community through the kindness and compassion he showed toward 4-5 others; and 4-6 WHEREAS, Beloved by those who were privileged to share their 4-7 affection and friendship through the years, the passing of these 4-8 seven young people has left a huge void in the community they have 4-9 left behind; as the citizens of Claude struggle to rebuild their 4-10 lives without their loved ones, our thoughts and prayers will be 4-11 with them, as will the memory of these remarkable young people, 4-12 whose vibrant presence will not quickly be forgotten; now, 4-13 therefore, be it 4-14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas 4-15 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the lives of Marcus King, Jared 4-16 Wright, Anna Doyle, Cheryl Campbell, Jake Jones, Brad Stewart, and 4-17 Macy Thomas and extend deepest sympathy to the members of their 4-18 families: Jeannie, Bob, Lanita, and Jimmy White; Kim, Randy, and 4-19 Jami Wright; Chris, John, Andrea, and John Doyle; Cindy, Jerry, 4-20 Audra, Trista, and Chris Campbell; Carmella, Orville, and Jessie 4-21 Jones; Nancy, Jimmy, and Danielle Stewart; Carol, Mark, and Craig 4-22 Thomas; and to their many other friends and relatives throughout 4-23 the community; and, be it further 4-24 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 4-25 prepared for the members of their families and that when the Texas 4-26 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of 4-27 these exceptional young Texans.