By Moffat                                              H.R. No. 747
       74R11422 BNL-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, W. D. "Ted" Willhoite was accorded a great honor
    1-2  when he was named Grapevine's 1994 Citizen of the Year by the
    1-3  Grapevine Chamber of Commerce, and the members of this chamber are
    1-4  proud to join in honoring this exceptional civic leader; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of Grapevine, Mr. Willhoite was
    1-6  born August 7, 1911, to Wiley and Bertie Winfrey Willhoite; he
    1-7  earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from North
    1-8  Texas Agricultural College in 1932, but because the nationwide
    1-9  Depression made jobs difficult to find, this enterprising gentleman
   1-10  created his own job opportunity by opening a feed store business;
   1-11  and
   1-12        WHEREAS, He later joined his father in operating a service
   1-13  station on Grapevine's Main Street, and he continued to manage this
   1-14  thriving business until his retirement 40 years later; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, Mr. Willhoite married the former Wilena Kingston on
   1-16  July 21, 1934, and they were blessed with two lovely daughters,
   1-17  Wanda and Janet; and
   1-18        WHEREAS, The year 1934 also marked the beginning of
   1-19  Mr. Willhoite's remarkable record of community service, for it was
   1-20  then that he became a charter member of the local Lions Club; he
   1-21  would go on to serve in all positions of the club, and he has been
   1-22  honored by his friends in the organization with the 60th Year Lions
   1-23  Charter Monarch Award and as a Melvin Jones Fellow; and
   1-24        WHEREAS, Highly regarded by his many friends in the
    2-1  community, Mr. Willhoite has served as election judge for Precinct
    2-2  114 and served for 17 years on the local school board; he also was
    2-3  a member of the Grapevine Housing Authority when the community's
    2-4  first units were built in 1967, and his long and distinguished
    2-5  tenure included a 10-year term as chairman of the board; and
    2-6        WHEREAS, Now an esteemed director of the Grapevine Heritage
    2-7  Foundation and the president of the Grapevine Historical Society,
    2-8  Mr. Willhoite has been a leading figure in the drive to revitalize
    2-9  the city's downtown and preserve its colorful past, and his
   2-10  dedicated efforts earned him the Rotary Foundation's prestigious
   2-11  designation as a Paul Harris Fellow in 1991; and
   2-12        WHEREAS, Blessed with a warm and loving 55-year marriage to
   2-13  his wife, Wilena, until her passing in 1990, Mr. Willhoite now
   2-14  delights in the company of his four grandchildren and four
   2-15  great-grandchildren; an avid golfer, he  recently shot a score of
   2-16  two strokes under his age of 83, and he enjoys woodworking and
   2-17  painting as well; and
   2-18        WHEREAS, In serving his family, his church, and his
   2-19  community, Mr. Willhoite has set an outstanding example of civic
   2-20  leadership for others to follow, and his efforts have earned him
   2-21  the respect and admiration of his friends and neighbors and the
   2-22  gratitude of his fellow Texans; now, therefore, be it
   2-23        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-24  Legislature hereby congratulate W. D. "Ted" Willhoite on being
   2-25  named Grapevine's 1994 Citizen of the Year and extend to him
   2-26  warmest best wishes for many more years of continued success and
   2-27  happiness; and, be it further
    3-1        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
    3-2  prepared for Mr. Willhoite as an expression of highest regard by
    3-3  the Texas House of Representatives.