By: Madla 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.