S.R. No. 1183
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in
1-3 recognizing Julia Marie Lightner Johnson who is retiring from her
1-4 position as administrative assistant for Senator Buster Brown after
1-5 40 years of loyal service with the Texas Legislature; and
1-6 WHEREAS, Julia began working for the House of Representatives
1-7 in the 63rd Legislative Session in 1955 for State Representative
1-8 George S. Berry (D) of Lubbock; her successful career includes
1-9 working as an administrative assistant for Representative
1-10 Bob Hendricks (D) of McKinney, Representative Wilson Foreman (D)
1-11 of Austin, Senator Frank Lombardino (D) of San Antonio from 1975
1-12 through 1978, Senator Carlos Truan (D) of Corpus Christi from 1979
1-13 through 1981, Representative George Pierce (R) of San Antonio from
1-14 1981 through 1984, and Senator Buster Brown (R) of Lake Jackson from
1-15 1984 to the present; and
1-16 WHEREAS, During her tenure with the legislature,
1-17 Mrs. Johnson's responsibilities have been far-reaching and have
1-18 typically included such tasks as refining office procedures,
1-19 scheduling, planning, and executing functions hosted by the
1-20 legislators, briefing office staff, and handling the various needs
1-21 of constituents; and
1-22 WHEREAS, A beloved and admired employee, Julia is perhaps
1-23 most famous for her skillful orchestration of Senator Brown's
2-1 renowned sine die sing-a-long parties and for her inimitable
2-2 ability to compose unique lyrics to traditional Christmas carols;
2-3 and
2-4 WHEREAS, Better known to her friends and family as "Lightning
2-5 Bug," Julia is equipped with a wonderful sense of humor, an innate
2-6 propensity to burst forth with song, and an unbelievably detailed
2-7 memory for the many jokes she shares with others; and
2-8 WHEREAS, A woman of varied interests and talents, she is a
2-9 seriously accomplished vocalist and a devout Christian who enjoys
2-10 singing with her church choir; she is music director at
2-11 Saint Charles Catholic Church near the family's weekend lake house;
2-12 and
2-13 WHEREAS, A longtime community leader, Julia Johnson has
2-14 contributed greatly to the betterment of the Clear Lake area, and
2-15 the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank her for her
2-16 many years of service, assistance, and support; she has also served
2-17 as vice-president of the Texas Parent-Teacher Association and as
2-18 the organization's president at the local and district levels; and
2-19 WHEREAS, Throughout her successful career, Julia has enjoyed
2-20 the love and support of her husband, William S. Johnson, her
2-21 children, Billy, Teresa, and Joanne, and her five grandchildren,
2-22 Justin, Ethan, Rachel, Allan, and Matthew; and
2-23 WHEREAS, Julia is a welcome wellspring of information
2-24 relating to earlier days at the Capitol; the first session she
2-25 worked was in 1955, and she remembers that the House provided
3-1 typists with only one sheet of carbon paper at a time and made
3-2 certain it was totally worn before issuing another; in those days,
3-3 you went to work at 12 noon on the first day of the session, and
3-4 your job ended at midnight on the 140th day; your office was a
3-5 table for your typewriter and a two-drawer filing cabinet located
3-6 on the back halls of the second and third west floors of the
3-7 Capitol; secretaries opened mail and took dictation at a chair next
3-8 to the members' chairs on the House floor; telephone messages were
3-9 taken by the switchboard and given by hand to the members for them
3-10 to return at a telephone bank; and
3-11 WHEREAS, Julia Johnson will be greatly missed, yet her
3-12 engaging personality and intriguing reminiscences have left
3-13 indelible impressions that will continue to be treasured by staff
3-14 and legislators; and
3-15 WHEREAS, Over the years, Julia Johnson's assistance to
3-16 Texas legislators has been priceless, and through her ever-present
3-17 charm, grace, warmth, and dignity, she has won the respect and the
3-18 hearts of all who have worked with her; now, therefore, be it
3-19 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
3-20 74th Legislature, hereby pay tribute to Julia Johnson for her many
3-21 years of dedication to the Texas House of Representatives and the
3-22 Texas Senate and extend to her best wishes for the retirement years
3-23 ahead; and, be it further
3-24 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her
3-25 as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
4-1 Brown
4-2 Armbrister Leedom Rosson
4-3 Barrientos Lucio Shapiro
4-4 Bivins Luna Sibley
4-5 Cain Madla Sims
4-6 Ellis Moncrief Truan
4-7 Gallegos Montford Turner
4-8 Galloway Nelson Wentworth
4-9 Harris Nixon West
4-10 Haywood Patterson Whitmire
4-11 Henderson Ratliff Zaffirini
4-12 Bullock, President of the Senate
4-13 ______________________________________
4-14 President of the Senate
4-15 I hereby certify that the above
4-16 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
4-17 on May 24, 1995.
4-18 ______________________________________
4-19 Secretary of the Senate
4-20 ______________________________________
4-21 Member, Texas Senate