S.C.R. No. 112
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas is pleased and
1-2 proud to recognize Happy Shahan for his manifold contributions to
1-3 the State of Texas; and
1-4 WHEREAS, He was named James T. Shahan when he was born on
1-5 July 24, 1915, in Whitehouse, Texas, the son of James William and
1-6 Georgia Pearl Shahan; everyone has always called him Happy, a name
1-7 which truly describes him; and
1-8 WHEREAS, He graduated from Whitehouse High School in 1933 and
1-9 was a member of the 1931 Tri-State Basketball Championship Team;
1-10 and
1-11 WHEREAS, While Happy was growing up, he picked cotton for
1-12 spending money and vowed one day to own his own "cotton-pickin'
1-13 land" which he would stock with cattle and horses; his childhood
1-14 dream has come true; and
1-15 WHEREAS, He continued his stellar career in basketball as the
1-16 captain of the basketball team of Tyler Junior College where he was
1-17 chosen an All-State Basketball Player; he earned his undergraduate
1-18 degree in sociology at Baylor University where he was also captain
1-19 of the basketball team; and
1-20 WHEREAS, He married his college sweetheart, Virginia Webb,
1-21 and they enjoyed a happy home life and raised three wonderful
1-22 children; and
1-23 WHEREAS, Happy and Virginia own 30 square miles of West Texas
2-1 centered in Brackettville called the Shahan HV Ranches; they raise
2-2 registered Texas Longhorn cattle, Black Aberdeen-Angus cattle,
2-3 American quarter horses, sheep, and Spanish and Angora goats; and
2-4 WHEREAS, Happy is so popular with his neighbors that he has
2-5 been elected Mayor of Brackettville six times; his biggest
2-6 accomplishment to date, however, has been luring Hollywood
2-7 filmmakers to Texas; he was one of the original organizers of the
2-8 Texas Film Commission, which he serves as Director; and
2-9 WHEREAS, In 1957, Happy Shahan learned that the film, "The
2-10 Alamo" was about to be produced, starring John Wayne;
2-11 unfortunately, the filming was planned to take place in Mexico;
2-12 Happy thought a movie about this famous battle in Texas should be
2-13 made in Texas, and he convinced John Wayne to do just that; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Happy had Alamo Village constructed on his spread,
2-15 and since then it has been the site where more than 13 movies have
2-16 been filmed; he became the foremost proponent of filming in Texas
2-17 and actively recruited film companies; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Known throughout the state as a promoter of Texas
2-19 tourism, Happy has accomplished his goal of drawing more tourists
2-20 to our Lone Star State; and
2-21 WHEREAS, An entrepreneur in the entertainment field, he is
2-22 involved in the development, training, and promoting of singers and
2-23 entertainers; and
2-24 WHEREAS, Happy is active in every facet of his far-flung
2-25 enterprises; he is past president of a lengthy list of
3-1 organizations: the Discover Texas Association, the Old Spanish
3-2 Trail Association, the Brackettville Rotary Club, and the Texas
3-3 Angus Association; he has also served as Chairman of the
3-4 International Tourism for South Texas and Mexico organization and
3-5 the Tourist Promotion Committee for the South Texas Chamber of
3-6 Commerce; and
3-7 WHEREAS, Named Outstanding Citizen of Kinney County, he is
3-8 also a member of the Sheep and Goat Raising Hall of Fame and the
3-9 American Cattle Breeds Hall of Fame; truly this notable Texan
3-10 deserves legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it
3-11 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
3-12 hereby proclaim April 12, 1995, Happy Shahan Day in honor of this
3-13 indefatigable Texas gentleman; and, be it further
3-14 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be prepared for
3-15 Happy Shahan as an expression of the highest esteem of the Texas
3-16 Legislature.