H.R. No. 795
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Mrs. Johnnie Massey will celebrate her 99th birthday
    1-2  on May 8, 1995, and to her many friends and relatives, this event
    1-3  promises to be a truly joyous and memorable occasion; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, Born John Alora Franklin in 1896, she was named for
    1-5  her grandfather, who was determined to see his name passed on to a
    1-6  member of the family's next generation; the youngest of seven
    1-7  children, she grew up on her parents' farm in Goliad County and
    1-8  developed a love of history at an early age, and she was encouraged
    1-9  to pursue this interest by her parents and teachers; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, When she was 15, she and her two sisters entered
   1-11  Sabinal Christian College in Uvalde County; her years there marked
   1-12  an important milestone in her life, and she was privileged to meet
   1-13  several of the well-known preachers of the day; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, Mrs. Massey also met her future husband, Ira Massey,
   1-15  at the school, and after quickly discovering that they wanted to
   1-16  spend the rest of their lives together, they exchanged wedding vows
   1-17  on August 1, 1913;  the Masseys enjoyed a deeply fulfilling union
   1-18  that lasted 61 years until Mr. Massey's passing in 1974; and
   1-19        WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Massey both enjoyed rewarding careers
   1-20  as educators, and they positively affected the lives of countless
   1-21  youths in Blanco and Nueces counties and in various communities
   1-22  throughout the Rio Grande Valley; and
   1-23        WHEREAS, This remarkable lady capably managed the many
   1-24  responsibilities of being a homemaker and a teacher, and she raised
    2-1  six fine children in addition to helping with the family's farming
    2-2  and ranching activities; and
    2-3        WHEREAS, Over the years, her close-knit family has continued
    2-4  to grow, and she now enjoys the company of 14 grandchildren and 18
    2-5  great-grandchildren; blessed with many friendships, her extended
    2-6  "family" also includes numerous residents of The Retirement and
    2-7  Nursing Center Home in Austin, where she now makes her home; and
    2-8        WHEREAS, Mrs. Massey has always made time in her busy day to
    2-9  offer fellowship to others, and she is fondly regarded by all who
   2-10  know her as an optimist whose unbridled enthusiasm for life
   2-11  radiates from her eyes, her smile, her words, and her laughter; and
   2-12        WHEREAS, The qualities that endear her to so many emanate
   2-13  from a deep and abiding spiritual faith, and she always has given
   2-14  freely of her time, talents, and energy to serve her religious
   2-15  community; and
   2-16        WHEREAS, Mrs. Massey is heir to a proud family heritage, a
   2-17  reverence for which she has sought to instill in her children and
   2-18  her many other relatives; her ancestors came to Virginia in the
   2-19  1600s with the country's first colonists, and her maternal
   2-20  grandfather risked his life to fight for Texas independence in
   2-21  1836; and
   2-22        WHEREAS, Throughout her lifetime, this gracious lady has
   2-23  brought joy and happiness to the many people whose lives she has
   2-24  touched; a much-admired member of her community, Mrs. Massey has
   2-25  earned the special love and affection of all who are privileged to
   2-26  know her; now, therefore, be it
   2-27        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
    3-1  Legislature hereby honor Mrs. Johnnie Massey and extend warmest
    3-2  congratulations to this lovely lady on the occasion of her 99th
    3-3  birthday; and, be it further
    3-4        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
    3-5  prepared for Mrs. Massey as an expression of high regard by the
    3-6  Texas House of Representatives.